Warriors of Poseidon 02 - Atlantis Awakening

of Poseidon 02
    Page 277 of 296
    A female vampire soared down from a place high above them. As she came closer, Ven saw that she had Erin's hair and a certain similarity in facial features. There was no doubt that she was Erin's sister, even with the red glow in her eyes. She wore a bulky black gown, loosely belted with a length of rope, and the naked emotion on her face must have been driving a stake through Erin's heart.
     
    "Deirdre, he lied to you," Erin said, tears streaming down her face. "He killed them all and left me for dead, too. I managed to make it back to the coven, but by the time I recovered from my injuries, everyone told me you were dead."
     
    Deirdre started to float down past Caligula, but he snaked out an arm and caught her by the hair, twisting it cruelly. "Very touching, but I'm not about to let them get their hands on my trump card, now am I?"
     
    He drew a dagger and pressed the edge of the blade against Deirdre's throat until a thin red line appeared against her pale white skin and blood trickled down from beneath the blade. "I propose a bargain, Atlantean. You give me Erin Connors, and I kill the three of you in excruciatingly painful ways."
     
    "That's not exactly a bargain, bloodsucker," Jack growled. "Or are you better in Latin than English, even after all these years?"
     
    "Ah, yes, the kitty speaks," Caligula said. "If you prefer Latin, then so be it. Let me set the stage for you: I hold the witch's sister, and if you attack my blood pride or my shape-shifters, I will kill Deirdre. Your witch won't care for that at all, will you, Erin?" He flashed a nasty smile at Erin.
     
    "Furthermore, I hold the rebel leader, and my general is now going to take the second step toward forming the blood bond with her," he said, waving a hand toward Daniel and Quinn, who still appeared to be unconscious. "Therefore, you can do nothing, and I will enjoy seeing you die. Slowly. Res ipsa loquitur."
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
    Page 278 of 296
    "What the hell does that mean?" Jack snarled.
     
    "The thing speaks for itself," Ven replied.
     
    Deirdre, still caught by her hair in Caligula's fist, laughed a high, piercing laugh.
    "Sometimes the thing sings for itself," she said. Then she ripped the top of her gown in two, baring her breasts and a cloth-wrapped bundle, which she tossed down toward Erin. "Take this, baby sister, and join me in a duet."
     
    Ven snatched the bundle out of the air as it plummeted toward them, but was unprepared for its heavy weight and nearly dropped it. Together, he and Erin tore the cloth covering away and the fierce red glow of the sunset on the waves shone up at them. The ruby was in the shape of an enormous solid heart, as big as Ven's head.
     
    "What is that?" Caligula screamed. "What did you give her?" He backhanded Deirdre across the mouth so hard that blood spurted from her lip, but she only laughed at him.
     
    "You vain fool!" She spat blood out of her mouth and laughed again. "Did you really think that you could wear me down?"
     
    Erin clutched the gem close to her breasts and closed her eyes. When she opened them, the Goddess was back. She raised her head and locked gazes with her sister.
    "Now we sing."
     
    As one, the two sisters began to sing, and the ruby joined in, singing bass to their clear soprano. The symphony of pure power and light soared through the cavern, illuminating the darkest corners and shining a spotlight on the vamps and shifters cowering in the corners.
     
    Atlantis Awakening – Warriors of Poseidon 02
    Page 279 of 296
    Caligula shrieked and released Deirdre to clap his hands over his ears, as the ruby song danced and played over and around him, casting him in a red glow that was somehow pure and innocent—a stark contrast to his putrid evil.
     
    The rubysong trapped the ancient vampire in a glowing, crystalline prison made entirely of light and song, but Caligula's ineffective beating against the shimmering walls made it clear that he could not escape. The music dimmed the sound of his shrieks, but his open mouth and the cords straining in his throat told the tale of his capture. A surge of fierce joy swept through Ven at the sight.
     
    Deirdre dropped to the ground directly in front of Erin and the two embraced. Drawing back a little, Erin effortlessly raised a shield over the two of them and turned to Ven. "I am safe, my warrior. You may leave my side with confidence."
     
    "You stay safe!" he said fiercely.