Page 30 of Salvation
Xavier’s scream of rage had his legs carrying him toward his friend. He would be damned if he lost any more of his people. He simply had to hope Aurora was safe.
* * *
Luna staredat the vampire who had rescued her from certain torture, then death. She massaged her belly, thankful to still be alive, then suddenly gasped.
“What? What is wrong?” Aurora was across the room and kneeling in front of her faster than she could take a second breath.
“The baby kicked.”
“Is this something new?” She raised a brow.
“Yes. The first time.” She looked down at her stomach, which seemed to grow every day. This new sensation both elated and frightened her. She had less time than expected. Rather than nine months, she was due in six, which meant she had less than two to go. Luna had read every book she could find in the library about childbirth, and, by all accounts, the baby should have kicked a month or more ago if she went by this new timeline. Did this mean something was wrong?
“If you’re what is considered in human terms to be seven months, shouldn’t that have happened already?”
She looked back at Aurora. “I was thinking the same thing, but this is a vampire. Maybe things work differently?”
The vampire sighed. “We cannot stay here.” She stood and walked to the door and placed her palm on it. “I don’t hear or sense anyone outside. Damn it, I wish I knew where Lilith was.”
“Why do you suppose the rogue haven’t portaled into this room?” They were certainly capable and from what she knew, rogue didn’t give up easily.
“Good question. Daylight is coming. Perhaps that has something to do with it?”
“Maybe. What should we do?” Her anxiety level was making her restless, and she had to pee.
“I’m going to trust my senses and crack open this door to see what’s in the hall.”
Luna stood. “Okay. Do it.”
Not wasting time, the vampire opened the door and peered out, then shut it.
“Well?”
“I don’t think you should go out there. It’s…rather disgusting.” Aurora looked around. “But there is no other way to get you out of here, and Wolfe asked me to get you to safety.” She moved at lightning speed back toward the bed, where she dropped to her knees and stuck her arm under the frame. A second later, she pulled out a really long blade.
“What is that?”
Aurora smiled. “Her name is Treachery, and she was a gift from Lilith. This is a blade forged in the fires of hell. It’s harder than any metal known to humankind. It also has some unique properties.”
Luna was certainly intimidated by it. The blade itself had to be at least a foot long, with a slight curve to it, and she could see etchings of some kind on it. The handle was black with a gold inlay that formed something she could not see.
“I see you’re curious. Here, you can hold it.” Aurora laid it across both hands and held it toward her.
She should have been nervous to touch it, yet it called to her. So she placed her palms up and stretched her arms out, and Aurora laid the blade in her grasp. Luna pulled it in for closer inspection.
“What are these etchings on the blade?” They made no sense to her, but they looked like symbols.
“That is a demonic language that gives the bearer of the blade power over it.”
She lifted her gaze to look the vampire in the eyes. “Meaning?”
“I can command it to do my bidding. If I throw it, it will hit its target every time.”
Her jaw dropped. “Wow. I guess that could be handy. What’s the handle made of?” She looked closer to see the gold inlay was actually formed into a wolf’s head. “And a wolf’s head?” She looked up again to see Aurora’s reaction.
“The handle is carved from a demon’s thigh bone and it’s his magic that is embedded into the blade.”
Luna cringed and handed the blade back. “The wolf, you don’t think it odd it is the symbol on a blade given to you?”
