WATER MATE
Water Mate - Chapter 17
Mystery Mate Series present
By Authoress Kemmy B. Gabriel
[✓]
Stephan's standpoint (only standpoint)
The glory of killing a powerful vampire had always been a thing for me, an achievement I pride myself on. I was the strongest in my time, not until my mother had to get pregnant for the mysterious stranger she met and had my brother. Though at first he looked like only a mere thing, but before my eyes he grew into a powerful man, more than I was. Then to crown it all, he was made king instead of me.
The hate, the anger, none could be satisfied because I never got my revenge. The more I tried, the stronger he got, and I kept trying until his grandson. Finn was the biggest thorn in my flesh, his powers didn't just disgust me, the way he carried himself too. He twat my plans as easily as he thwacked flies, like I was a child playing hide and seek. Proving I was stronger and taking the throne would have been the ultimate victory. But once again, victory had become sour.
Standing there frozen with no control over my body, I gawked at the woman glaring at me with blood red eyes and a icy arrow pointed at me. Two pointy fangs glinted from the distant, her angry face looked more like the most beautiful face in the universe. Her light brown hair with streaks of other colours stretched down to her shoulders where it took the form of water whirling spirally to her feet, dancing around her like a Chinese dragon. Her long claws held the silver bow feisty, a small blue amulet glowing on her neck.
Despites the warning in her eyes, the anger twitching on her lips, she still looked hypnotising.
"Who are you and what do you think you are doing?" She demanded an answer. Her voice was power, an ultimate command.
Snap out of the mermaid's spell!... The demons in me shouted.
Mermaid?
I tried to move but still couldn't. "One move and I shoot this sacred arrow, it can end any demon. Don't even bother moving, blood is thicker than water but still water, my new power."
"Let me go!" I shouted, realising the humiliation I was facing, none of my warriors could move.
"Wrong answer," she let go of the arrow. I conjured my telekinetic power and diverted the cold weapon from me. She smirked and rolled her eyes, redirecting the arrow back to me.
"I control water, even when it's frozen," the arrow pierced into my left shoulder. Every demon in me screamed, the ice spread along my arm, freezing me both spiritually and physically. "One more time, who are you and what are you doing in my house?"
"Who are you and what is your concern with my war?! Stay out of this fish girl!" I yelled, I saw the way Finn's body reacted, shocked.
"I'm not a mermaid, I am something more than a common maiden with fish tail. What I am is none of your con... Wait, I know you," she gasped, "you were the one who killed me the first time!" The blood in her eyes spread and completely swallowed it. "I remember you Stephan!"
She let go of another arrow, the arrows multiplied, hitting different parts of my body including my heart. "That's for ending my life and trying to kill my mate, and in case you are wondering, my name is Floriana!" She appeared before me and slammed her hand on my frozen body, a devious look in her eyes.
All the demons were silent, I couldn't believe it, after everything, I was defeated by a woman. The ice froze me completely, only my spirit was left. But it soon destroyed as the ice shattered to millions of pieces, the end of my chase.
Suzanne's standpoint
The water dropped me at the garden lake. The first thing I felt was the dark presence, someone was here and not for anything good.
"Suzanne, thank God you are here," Claudia said under her breath. I looked at my sister, something didn't look right about her, she looked pale, extremely pale and weak. "You have to get Kassandra out of there before she gets killed!"
"Why? What is wrong?" I asked puzzledly.
"The castle is under attack, someone is here with Axel's mate, they are going to kill Finn, him and Kassandra. Finn can't do anything, he's almost dead!"
"Axel's mate? I thought Kassandra was his mate?" I questioned as we walked towards the exit.
"Axel had a mate before her, but he killed her after she helped the invasion that claimed the life of Finn's first mate. Because she died, that's why Kassandra can be his mate, the one here is just a corpse brought back to life by a demon. She will hurt Sandra and I can't get too close to the main building."
"Why?" I asked puzzledly. She paused at the entrance of the garden and smiled.
"The magic here has been touched by you, therefore making it easier to last here for a few minutes," she looked up at the sky, "I'm human, I can't fight them all by myself, I will get killed. All the guards have been poisoned and the vampires all drank the demon blood to make themselves stronger. The only way to stop them is to use your new power..."
"How did you..."
"I can see your scales," she averted her eyes to my face which still had some fading scales. "The red stands for your new ability to control living beings via their blood. Blood is thicker than water but still water, it can be bent no matter how hard it is. If you want to stop them, control them through their blood, but make sure they don't touch you or you will be badly hurt."
"Claudia, you are acting strange," I said worriedly. She looked at her hands and beamed brighter.
"Times up, use your sacred arrows and be fast! Finn is about to get killed!" She shouted. That snapped me back to the main reason I returned. My mate was in danger. At first I thought it was my blood, but now another weirdo.
"Ocean, give me my sacred arrows," I commanded. The sacred arrows was given to me by a sea nymph years ago. It happened about a year after I started living with humans.
Some fishermen caught the nymph and was going to remove all her magic scales. The scales of sea nymphs and mermaids can heal, bring back the dead if added to an enchantment, use to see the future, and in rare cases, grant a wish via three scale and transfer the powers of the nymph or mermaid to the person. But of course, it came with a high price as little to less people survive using the scales of a sea nymph and mermaid. A curse follows most of it.
I found the nymph and rescued her, before she went back to sea, she used her light power to form a silver bow. Then she removed two strands of her hair and turned it to the string and for the arrows, she peeled off five of her most treasured scales and made it into my arrows. A bow with icy arrows that never ran out. It was the most precious gift ever given to me, so precious I handed it to the ocean to keep, only to bring when I really needed it.
From the lake, the bow and arrows were thrown to me. I caught them and quickly strapped it on. When I looked to Claudia, she was gone, probably to hide or something. I ran towards the frontdoor, there was some vampires standing there with pointed weapons.
"Halt! Who are you and what are you doing here?" One questioned, he didn't look patient at all. I looked behind me, there was no time to fight them, I needed to get to Finn. I could feel our connection beginning to snap, he was dying.
"Blood is thicker than water but still water," I murmured, I looked at my hands and back at them. I shut my eyes and connected to all my powers, I made a quick search for the new one. It was stupid just standing there knowing they could kill me, but something said to do it anyways.
When I opened my eyes, I saw them all stiff, struggling to move. I saw red, my eyes must have been red. I looked at my hands, red claws stretched out, my wet hair had streaks of red and turned to water from my shoulder level. The water whirled spirally around me, forming a water shield down to my ankles. I could feel my blood rushing through me with energy, it felt so good. I shook my head, this wasn't time to admire myself. I looked at the vampires, commanding them to destroyed themselves with my eyes. I rushed inside, all stiffened as I past, it was like the water hair had the control.
Close to the ballroom I heard Finn's shaky and weak mocking voice. "Guess it hurts, you will never truly enjoy the victory, a woman claimed the life you so wanted to claim. Bet it hurts." I ran to the door in time to see a ugly looking vampire snarl.
"Shut up you little bastard!!!" His eyes became consumed with darkness, his claws extended out as he ran forward.
"Freeze," I commanded, reaching out to the water and blood inside of him. He came to an abrupt stop, six feet away from Finn, his hand in the air. I bent my bow and string my arrow and aimed it at his chest, let's see him try.
"I can't...move," he growled, "what new powers is this."
Mine you idoit.
His powers was strong and overwhelming, as he struggled to set himself free, I had to control his blood to twist his torso backwards. "Finn!" He thundered, thinking it was him. I scoffed loud enough for him to hear, causing him to avert his eyes to me.
Immediately the ugly man's eyes fell on my form, his eyes grew wide with shock and admiration. I know, sea maids are alluring, all of them are and me being in my element was leaving him in a state of shock.
That made me mad, he was trying to eliminate my mate and he dared look at me with lust, the insolent! "Who are you and what do you think you are doing?" I demanded. If I didn't know better, my voice rage with power and authority.
He stared at me a little bit longer before trying to move again, but this time, he couldn't move an inch. My anger fed my energy, making my control more powerful than before. "One move and I shoot this sacred arrow, it can end any demon. Don't even bother moving, blood is thicker than water but still water, my new power."
"Let me go!" He screeched, his voice came out like a venomous hiss. I looked around, his warriors were all paralysed as well. I returned my eyes to him and sneered.
"Wrong answer," I let go of the arrow. The frosty arrow diverted, turning over to one of the nobles laying helplessly on the floor.
You can still use your powers, huh? Let's fix that shall we.
I smirked and rolled my eyes, redirecting the arrow back to him. I could control the arrows to go wherever I wanted it to go, that way I never miss my shot. I'm normally good with archery, even with a regular one, I never missed my shot.
"I control water, even when it's frozen," the arrow hit his shoulder. The ice spread along his arm. "One more time, who are you and what are you doing in my house?"
"Who are you and what is your concern with my war?! Stay out of this fish girl!" He roared. One of the curses mermaids or any sea creature hates is been called a fish girl or boy. And worse, in front of everyone!
"I'm not a mermaid, I am something more than a common maiden with fish tail. What I am is none of your con..." Then it struck me, it was him! Stephan! "Wait, I know you," I gasped, "you were the one who killed me the first time!" The intensity of my anger amplified, the blood in my eyes spread and completely swallowed it. All I could see was red. "I remember you Stephan!"
I angrily let go of the other arrow, I multiplied the arrows as it flew to him. The arrows hit different parts of his body including his heart. "That's for ending my life and trying to kill my mate, and in case you are wondering, my name is Floriana!" I Speed to him and bashed my hand on his freezing body. The ice spread quickly, completely swallowing him and making a good ice sculpture out of him.
My eyes returned to normal as the ice shattered to millions of pieces. I stepped back, moving further back to stand beside Finn where he laid. I looked at Kassandra as I conjured another arrow.
"Give Axel your blood, it would purge him of the poison," I instructed. I buried the pointed edge of the arrow into my forearm, covering it with my blood. I string the arrow and waited for the demons to rise.
The enemy vampires screeched, their body quaked violently. Every blood extracted from their bodies and flowed to the pieces of ice on the floor. The pieces rose up, forming a twister of blood and ice shards. I knew what was happening, the demons were reforming him, bringing him back to life. I waited for the right time, the time for his body to form. The blood turned black, twisting faster but not creating any wind current as it was water and ice.
"Demons of hell
Demons on earth
By my very command
Fall by my sacred arrow," I fired the arrow, aiming straight for his forging heart. "Begone!" The arrow plunged into his heart, shattering to pieces. Each pieces spread across his body, freezing all his demons.
A loud monstrous screech left his mouth, his forming blood body collapsed on the floor and began convulsing like a severe epilepsy case. I conjured another arrow, smear it with my blood and fired it at his heart again. A louder hiss and screech followed. I conjured the final arrow, but instead of using my blood, I rubbed the arrow on Finn's blood which was allover his royal robe. I released the arrow at his head. Stephan gave the final and longest scream before he burst into ash. The other vampires burst into ash as well. I exhaled and let my hands dropped, sending the bow and arrow back to the ocean.
The bow and arrow turned to silver dust and floated in the air, flying back to the lake. I looked around, few of the nobles had passed out and I could tell few were dead. I closed my eyes and felt all their blood, separated the poison and pulled it all out of each and everyone of them, including the guards outside. The poisoned blood rose up and danced to me, spinning above my head. I froze the blood and shattered the ice, that was the least I could do.
"Suzanne," Axel called weakly. I opened my eyes and saw him moving towards me weakly. Sandra let him lean his weight on her as she helped him to him.
"It's Floriana," I corrected coldly, "blood, they all need pure blood as soon as possible."
"I'll get the blood!" I looked at Lady Lida, I knew she was the only one who didn't drink the poison, she was just lucky and had been hiding. She hurried off to get the pets.
Finn! Remember Finn!
I gasped, the main reason I came back. I turned and hurried to Finn, I carefully walked around the broken staircase and knelt beside him. He was still alive, just unconscious. I carefully lifted his bleeding head and placed it on my laps. I cupped his cheeks softly, making his eyes flutter open.
"Suzanne," he called hoarsely, l frowned, I suddenly hate the name. "You came back?"
"Of course I did! You don't think I would leave you to die, do you?! You are my mate for crying out loud! Why the hell did you drink my blood?!"
"I...I... I'm sorry," his eyes were closing again, and not to sleep.
What to do!
"Here," I pushed my wrist to his mouth, "I give my blood to you Finn, to survive and not die on me, now drink it, please." I pleaded. He wasn't moving. I brought my hand to my fangs and bit my wrist, I brought the bleeding wrist to his mouth. My blood flowed into his mouth. Finn's hand shot up, grabbed my hand and bit me.
I whimpered from the pain but kept my hand there. His hands held mine tightly so I won't take it away, he sucked every drop like a starved vampire, his claws digging into my forearm. My blood gurgled as it flowed out of me, it melody filled my ears. The pain had stop and I felt different, like the time he kissed me back at the dinning table. I fell down, catching myself with my other hand, my chest hovering close to his face. He paused, his eyes opened and stared at my cleavage for seconds before he continued to slug down my blood.
It was time to stop, even though I didn't want him to stop, it would be foolish to let him continue. I pushed my body up, placed my other hand on his forehead and put him to sleep. He let go of my hand, his dropping down..
I smiled as I watched my mate's face calmed down, his face slowly brightened and lips regained it ruby colour. The black veins that had crawled up it face began retracting, going back to where it came from.
"Will he be okay?" I didn't know who asked that, I didn't care to look. I cupped his face and tenderly brushed the blood off his lips.
"He will be out for a while, but he will be fine."
Kassandra's standpoint
The gala was over, since most of the vampires were weak and some unconscious, Lida, Axel and three other vampires that were okay had to do all the work. Suzanne didn't come out of Finn's room after she went in there, she was going to clean him up and then stay by him all night. Suzanne really played the part of a queen as she left instructions only a true queen could. I helped carry the nobles to their carriages and horses and made sure they got home. By the time it was midnight, I was completely exhausted.
Lida and I were packing up the last set of plates and cups, I felt like collapsing. "I was meaning to ask, that lady, the king's mate is what exactly?"
"I can't answer that, you will find out in time."
"And she didn't say anything in the kitchen," Lida murmured to herself, "those girls are so dead."
"What girls?"
"Nevermind," she said dismissively.
"Er...hello?" I turned around with the plates in my hands, Drex stood there. I remember how I helped his parents and wife home, he healed faster than everyone because he didn't take more than a sip of the poisoned blood wines.
"I thought you went home," I said calmly.
"I did, but then I came back to say thank you," I raised a questioning brow at him, "for killing her..." He trailed off as he nervously ran his hand into his brown locks. "I've always felt that she was alife somewhere, and that made me furious. But since you effortlessly killed her, I've been feeling at ease, so I want to say thank you."
"I'm thanking myself too, I feel relieve knowing I've killed her after everything she did to your family. I really hate her and knowing that you all will never like me because of her makes me mad..."
"With what my parents witnessed you do, I'm sure they would like you soon enough. Thank you for also making my brother smile, he hadn't smiled since then, but he has now." I grinned at his touching words, it was so obvious from the beginning that he still loves and care about his little brother, he was just upset that he was hurting because of his mate.
"Don't give me that look, and if you tell him I said anything, I'll kill you." He threatened. I snorted and stuck my nose out, I'll love to see him try.
"Thanks big brother," I said teasingly. He winced, his face turning red, he was cuter than Axel. "You better go home, your mate and kids would need... And he's gone." I shook my head and continued walking.
Minutes past one, I was finally well bathed and in my comfortable nightdress. I threw myself on the bed beside Axel who was fast asleep, exhausted from everything. My mind raced back to Suzanne, she looked pretty different back there, I just hope she was okay. I still needed to tell her about Claudia's disappearance, what if one of the vampires took her?!
"Sandy, are you sleeping?" Axel asked softly. I wanted to ignore him, but I knew he was dying to spill out everything he was bottling up.
"I literally just threw myself on the bed," I replied plainly. I guess a big part of me was still pissed off by the fact that he still loved her and not me. If she was alive the whole time, it meant he lied about us being mates. "What lies do you want to feed me this time?"
The pressure on my side of the bed increased as he scooted over to me. "Sandy," he called softly again, his breath fanning my bare neck. "I didn't lie when I said we were mates, I swear on everything that I've got that I didn't lie and you know that too because you feel our bond, or don't you?" I remained quiet, but he was right, I did feel it. "Josephine died, she couldn't possibly have survived an enchanted stake to the heart and decapitation, right?"
Right.
"Stephan must have resurrected her, she was a walking dead. The moment she died, our bond broke, I know that because I felt it. And that gives you every right to become my mate..." The sob I was holding broke free from my lips. "Oh please, don't cry on me my love, I swear I didn't lie..."
"But you love her! Every time you look at me, all you see is her!" I shouted, burying my face into the pillow. He held my hand and gently turned me to face him.
"Do you want to know what I felt the moment My Lord told me you were alive? I was angry, I wanted to find and kill you, but then he told me you were human and probably a reincarnation because the you he met was way different from the other one. I know, I admit I still loved her and I instantly saw hope of having happiness, especially after I laid eyes on you. When I saw you, I didn't even see Josephine, I was wondering what the hell he was talking about whew he said you are her reincarnation, you looked nothing alike.
Your hair was different, the tenderness in your face as you slept was heartwarming. I didn't see Josephine, I saw a new woman I would love insanely, one I hoped would love me back for once in my life. I only got to see the resemblance when you hid behind Her Majesty, hollering about me being a blood sucking vampire," I blushed as I remembered that, it was so pathetic. "Even after then, all I saw and still see is Kassandra, not Josephine and Sandy is who I am in love with."
"But I look like her..."
"Only if you picture it from that angle, remember my family didn't even notice it until you mentioned and not even Josephine's family saw it when I introduced you to them. Tell me, did Josephine herself see it when you were both face to face?"
He laid a good arguement, no one stopped me to question me on why I looked like her. Seeing her in person, I only look like her if you picture it from her view. My lips stretched into a smile, he didn't love me as her then.
"So you love me, right? No lies, no pretence?" I asked with a twinkle of my wet eyes. He brought his lips down to my nose and kissed it.
"Down to my very last breath."
I had been thinking about it for days, if I was going to be with him, I would let him turn me. Something like an attack would come, my human skills won't guarantee my survival, it was a decision I already made.
"Axel, if I let you mark me, what will happen? Can vampires even mark?"
"Not necessarily, but yes. Marking you would require me turning you and you drinking my blood in exchange."
"Will it hurt? The turning," he didn't reply. "Axel?"
"Yes, it would."
I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth and suckled on it nervously. "How long would it take? Will I survive it?"
"A day or two, and in few cases, three and yes, most people survive the turning. Since I'm your mate, it won't hurt that much and I will be here to pull you out when you need me. Do you want me to turn you?" He asked worriedly, like my decision wasn't making him happy.
"Yes, do it now." Never did I see myself becoming a vampire, but eventually, I was mated to one. I also wanted to be a vampire to protect him from harm, just in case the devil returns.
He looked me deep in the eyes, asking me if I was sure. "I am Axel, do it." He wasn't that strong himself and needed to rest. I turned my head to expose my neck to him, but he tilted my head back and planted a feather light kiss on my lips.
I hummed in response and pulled him closer, permitting my hands to run up his shoulders to his neck and circle around it. He took the liberty of deepening the kiss, grabbing my waist roughly but I wasn't complaining. I had nothing to lose if I get turned, it wasn't like I had any useful thing doing with my life in the first place. Axel's kissed showed his uncertainty, he wasn't sure if he should turn me, worried that I was making a hasty decision because of the ball incident and I would regret it later. He didn't want me to hate him, to blame him if I didn't like being a vampire. I would have to drink blood and stay away from too much sunlight, many things would change for me including the possibility of bearing a child.
Vampires don't get pregnant, only a mate can and that was 60% chance of bearing a child or two, and mostly after hundreds of years. He didn't want to take that away from me. What he didn't know was that staying without him was suicide, and I wouldn't be glad aging when my mate is still young. He wouldn't love me when I become a grandma, and I didn't want intimidation from any other vampirinas. He was doing me a favour instead.
I pushed all my positivity and assurance into the kiss, telling him that I would be just fine, assuring him that no matter what happens, I would be fine. It took minutes of breathless assuring kisses, but when he finally sank his cuspids into my neck, I knew it was worth it.
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