tried."
Despair rose to choke me. There had to be something we could do. I refused to believe Mathias was lost.
"What about the blood of another vampire?" I asked.
Alfred started. "I don't know," he said softly. "I don't believe anyone has ever tried that method on Serina. She would not willingly drink from another vampire and there is no way to force her to ingest the blood of another vampire."
My mind raced as I attempted to work out the puzzle. I heard the rushing of the ocean and the crashing of waves as Alfred maneuvered the car down a winding road next to the cliffs. Ahead of us, I could see the tower rising out of the brightening horizon.
Alfred swung the car in a wide arc, stopping in front of the door to St. Mawes Castle. He was up the stairs and through that door before I could get my seat-belt unlatched. I raced to follow him, mindless to the danger I was in. This castle was filled with vampires and led by one who not only thought of me as cattle because I was human, but who also saw me as a rival for the affections of the man who had told her no, and had dared to pity her. I knew I would never again leave this castle. I said my goodbyes to the sunrise and dashed into the darkness.
No one stopped me as I made my way to the tower room. It wasn't difficult to find. The architecture of the castle was such that there were only a few halls and fewer possibilities. A guard stood impassively at the door which could only lead into the tower room. He blinked slowly when he saw me, but he didn't stop me from entering. The door swung open on my worst nightmare.
Alfred knelt in front of Serina, his face contorted in agony. Behind him, Mathias was bound to a stone table with smoking silver chains.
"You think to save him, do you?" she snarled. "Why should I allow him to live? He no longer amuses me and I want him gone."
"No!" I screamed. Alfred's eyes flicked to me, but he did not move. Serina turned slowly.
"This must be the human," she sneered. "So touching. Have you come to beg as Alfred has begged?"
"Yes," I said, slipping to my knees.
"Mairin, go now!" Mathias screamed. I could see him struggling against the smoking chains. "I forbid you to sacrifice yourself for me."
"Shut up, Mathias," I said, smiling. "I'm busy."
Serina laughed. "Your pet speaks to you so disrespectfully, Mathias. Why do you permit that?" She walked around me slowly. My skin jumped and twitched, but I stayed on my knees. "I must say that you are rather amusing for a human," she said. "Perhaps I should let you live long enough to watch your lover burn. I could allow the flames to take you both."
Alfred struggled to rise. "Serina, I beg you not to do this," he said as he gained his feet. "You gave your word that he would live if he went with you."
"And he did live, Alfred," she said. With a wave of her hand, Alfred collapsed to his knees again. "Somehow this insignificant boy took you from me. I want you back in my control. I want him to see he has no power here. If you will give me your allegiance once again, Alfred, I will consider allowing you both to survive this day."
Alfred glanced at Mathias who struggled helplessly on the stone table.
"No, Alfred," Mathias said. "Take your freedom and leave. She will kill us all regardless. Do not allow her to have your soul again. I am not worth that." A cry slipped past my lips. Alfred's eyes flicked to me again and I saw resignation in them.
"I cannot lose you, my son," Alfred said. He turned to Serina. "I am your servant, my queen."
Serina's smile was stunning. "Then rise, Alfred, and take your place among the witnesses."
Alfred rose stiffly, as though his movements were not under his sole control. He stood beside the olive-skinned vampire from my dream and waited. His eyes locked onto the thin tendrils of sunlight cast into the room from the arrow slits high on the walls. He did not look at me.
"Now, what to do with the human," Serina mused. "Shall we let her perish with Mathias? The
Despair rose to choke me. There had to be something we could do. I refused to believe Mathias was lost.
"What about the blood of another vampire?" I asked.
Alfred started. "I don't know," he said softly. "I don't believe anyone has ever tried that method on Serina. She would not willingly drink from another vampire and there is no way to force her to ingest the blood of another vampire."
My mind raced as I attempted to work out the puzzle. I heard the rushing of the ocean and the crashing of waves as Alfred maneuvered the car down a winding road next to the cliffs. Ahead of us, I could see the tower rising out of the brightening horizon.
Alfred swung the car in a wide arc, stopping in front of the door to St. Mawes Castle. He was up the stairs and through that door before I could get my seat-belt unlatched. I raced to follow him, mindless to the danger I was in. This castle was filled with vampires and led by one who not only thought of me as cattle because I was human, but who also saw me as a rival for the affections of the man who had told her no, and had dared to pity her. I knew I would never again leave this castle. I said my goodbyes to the sunrise and dashed into the darkness.
No one stopped me as I made my way to the tower room. It wasn't difficult to find. The architecture of the castle was such that there were only a few halls and fewer possibilities. A guard stood impassively at the door which could only lead into the tower room. He blinked slowly when he saw me, but he didn't stop me from entering. The door swung open on my worst nightmare.
Alfred knelt in front of Serina, his face contorted in agony. Behind him, Mathias was bound to a stone table with smoking silver chains.
"You think to save him, do you?" she snarled. "Why should I allow him to live? He no longer amuses me and I want him gone."
"No!" I screamed. Alfred's eyes flicked to me, but he did not move. Serina turned slowly.
"This must be the human," she sneered. "So touching. Have you come to beg as Alfred has begged?"
"Yes," I said, slipping to my knees.
"Mairin, go now!" Mathias screamed. I could see him struggling against the smoking chains. "I forbid you to sacrifice yourself for me."
"Shut up, Mathias," I said, smiling. "I'm busy."
Serina laughed. "Your pet speaks to you so disrespectfully, Mathias. Why do you permit that?" She walked around me slowly. My skin jumped and twitched, but I stayed on my knees. "I must say that you are rather amusing for a human," she said. "Perhaps I should let you live long enough to watch your lover burn. I could allow the flames to take you both."
Alfred struggled to rise. "Serina, I beg you not to do this," he said as he gained his feet. "You gave your word that he would live if he went with you."
"And he did live, Alfred," she said. With a wave of her hand, Alfred collapsed to his knees again. "Somehow this insignificant boy took you from me. I want you back in my control. I want him to see he has no power here. If you will give me your allegiance once again, Alfred, I will consider allowing you both to survive this day."
Alfred glanced at Mathias who struggled helplessly on the stone table.
"No, Alfred," Mathias said. "Take your freedom and leave. She will kill us all regardless. Do not allow her to have your soul again. I am not worth that." A cry slipped past my lips. Alfred's eyes flicked to me again and I saw resignation in them.
"I cannot lose you, my son," Alfred said. He turned to Serina. "I am your servant, my queen."
Serina's smile was stunning. "Then rise, Alfred, and take your place among the witnesses."
Alfred rose stiffly, as though his movements were not under his sole control. He stood beside the olive-skinned vampire from my dream and waited. His eyes locked onto the thin tendrils of sunlight cast into the room from the arrow slits high on the walls. He did not look at me.
"Now, what to do with the human," Serina mused. "Shall we let her perish with Mathias? The
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