Chapter 25

Meanwhile I had just entered Michael's home. I began looking around for anything that may be helpful. I searched the downstairs rooms first. Which proved nothing other than Michael lived here and was a normal male. I found myself laughing at that thought. Lately I have been around the weird and bizarre SO MUCH that to be in the presence of NORMAL was rather hilarious to me. I knew I had to hurry because the sun would be rising anytime now and Michael would be leaving the hospital. I was in his room when I ran across the information I needed.

“Oh my stars!!!” I wheezed out. I couldn't believe I was holding the answers to questions I'd held in my heart for years, in my trembling hand. Now that I finally had the answers, all I could do was scan these pages while my mind desperately tried to understand. Here before my eyes in most obscene detail was Grendel's journal. He'd had the audacity to kill the ones I'd loved the most and then record it in intimate detail how he'd executed his hellish plans. His reasoning? He knew I had power, and he wanted to force me to use it.

“They all died because of me.” I whispered horrified not even realizing I'd spoken aloud. I felt it then. Something clicked inside. I couldn't put words to what had just happened. I smiled despite myself. Grendel wanted to call forth my power and now I could feel it surging up inside me and I understood another thing then too. The power I was calling was not for me. It was for another. It came to where I could reach it and stopped. It lay there coiled. Hissing. Ready to strike. But I knew the time was not right yet.

“Not now.” I whispered to myself fighting for control. “In a little while maybe. But. Not. Right. Now.”

The part I could not grasp, was that I'd known Michael for years. He held my hand through Dimitri's death and consoled me, yet in my hands I held the proof that he was Grendel. The man with whom I'd worked with in the ER and fought on many occasions to save someone's life was the author of the most horrible deaths in mine. My head spun. My stomach churned. Still my heart screamed it could not be true all the while my mind had already began to react to what it had known all along.

I did not want to disturb Alex and Dimitri. The last time I saw them they were still trying to rescue Fran. That left one other living soul whom I could warn. “ZAYNE!!!!!!!” I yelled out mentally.

I was so intent on getting my message to Zayne, that I didn't hear the door open or the footsteps coming into the room.

“ZAYNE!! It's Michael, is Grendel. You must warn the others. Hurry Zayne and get to the others!!”

That was all I managed to get out before he grabbed me.

“Well now isn't this a pleasant surprise! Now I don't have to hunt you down Raelyn. You are mine for the taking!” Grendel said with an evil laugh as he roughly pushed my head to the side and began the descent to sink his teeth into the side of my neck. He licked the skin first relishing the feeling of my pulse just under the skin.

“Do you know how long I have waited for this?” He hissed into my ear.

My mind reeled. I want to scream. I wanted to throw up. I wanted desperately to get away, but I knew that I had been foolish, and Grendel was one of the most powerful vampires alive. My heart froze in my chest. “I'm so sorry. I whispered to Alex. I have let you all down.”

Is the blood of the Ilnayus going to give him more power? It was a question I could not answer. I knew I should fight somehow, but I was terrified and stunned. I wasn't strong enough to fight him off so I just relaxed as much as I could, all the while praying that Zayne would make it to the others before it was too late.

Fran's eyes suddenly went wide. She grabbed Micah by the shoulders and started screaming. Dimitri came rushing in immediately. Alex bounded over the coffee table and onto the bed.

“Oohhh no! Oh no! Oh no! No! No! No!” Fran screamed.

Micah yelled to Fran. “What is it beloved? Are you hurt?”

Alex looked out into the hallway stupidly hoping to see Raelyn. As though she would magically appear. He fell onto the floor and started holding his head and groaning as realization dawned upon him.

Micah shook Fran to make her calm down. Her eyes were wild. Tears flowed down her cheeks. Her whole body was trembling. He was terrified she was returning to some other hell spawn place that he hadn't protected her from.

“In the name of all that's holy, Fran tell me what's wrong!” He screamed holding her face to force her to look into his eyes.

Fran twisted her head to look at Alex unable to get away from the horrible vision that she saw. Her body was shaking violently from the shock. She managed to choke out the words that no one in the room was prepared to hear.

“He's turning her Alex! Grendel has Raelyn and he's turning her into a vampire!” Fran collapsed sobbing into Micah's shoulder.

Dimitri's wail of outrage matched the scream that Alex let out. It was a blood curtailing sound. Micah was the first to notice the change in Alex's eyes. Instead of his usual bright emerald eyes, his eyes were deep crimson etched in black rings. Micah gently touched Fran's shoulder and she followed his gaze. Fran turned to Micah and he knew what the question in her eyes was.

Hailey burst through the door at that moment, tears streaming down her face. No one had told her what was happening. Hailey was upset over something else.

"He's gone to the silver lyte, Alex. He is gone." Hailey sobbed out. "I saw Grendel with Raelyn.”

Alex gained control of himself just in time to hear Hailey's declaration.

"What do you mean he has gone? Who Hailey?" Alex said in a soft voice belying the rage that was slowly building inside.

"Paul has gone." Dimitri whispered not trying to hide the deep sadness in his voice. There is nothing anyone can do for Paul. He has gone into the Silver Lyte. It is too late for him you need to focus on what is happening to Raelyn. There would be time enough to grieve for Paul later.

"You must hurry, if you plan on saving her!" Zayne called. There was an edge of panic in his tone.

Alex ignored Zayne and confronted Dimitri.

"You knew? You f*****g knew and said nothing? Your own father, our uncle and master, and you said nothing!!!!!!!!!!!"

His voice had enough venom in it that everyone in the room but Fran and Micah flinched away. Nephilium were not afraid of Vampires. Alex knew that everyone in the room had heard his disrespect and he didn't care. Too much was happening at the same time. Alex was fighting with all of his strength to keep his temper in check but he was fast loosing the battle. Dimitri understood that something else was happening to Alex although he couldn't put a finger to what was wrong. Dimitri's response was to Alex alone.

"Cousin, I could not tell any of you. He had already forfeited his life in telling me. The council cannot kill me, but they can kill all of you. That is why Father told me and made me swear not to repeat it."

"You let him go to his death alone, Dimitri! How could you call yourself his son and let him die alone?" Alex clenched his teeth barely able to control himself. He could hear the terrible sorrow in Dimitri's voice. He did not wish to disrespect Paul's memory. If Dimitri was telling the truth, then Paul left Dimitri in charge of Valhalla Pride. Alex would not make the mistake of disrespecting Paul's last orders to the Pride again.

The others were busy trying to block Raelyn from Grendel.

"You are mistaken Alex. He did not go alone. It is not as though I could go with him. He had Solame, Degrace, and Leath with him. Even though they were his executioners they were also his friends. He went in peace Alex, I promise you that.”

Alex let out a unearthly sound that could only be described as a low moan of long unending pain. He couldn't believe that Paul was gone. His mind had only begun to understand what the meant to him and to the pride.

“Alex” Dimitri whispered softly. “She went there because of us.”

Before Alex could process one bad thing happening another layered itself on top. “What could you mean Dimitri? We would never have sent Rae.....” Alex couldn't even finish the thought.

We made her feel incapable of taking care of herself. She knew leaving the hospital that Michael wasn't what he appeared to be, and instead of coming to us she blocked us out and went alone."

"Then how did Zayne know?"

"She cannot block him and we cannot hear the two of them together, is my only guess."

"No neither of you can hear us when we mind talk to each other, just as she cannot hear us right now." Zayne softly stated.

"How could you not stop her Kevin Zayne? You knew and didn't stop her!" Alex turned on Zayne deeply feeling the need to break something in two.

"Alex even if I could have, I was too far away to get there in time. Her last statement was 'Michael is Grendel, warn the others.' then she was gone. I cannot reach her. Either she is gone to us now or she is shielding and guarding better than any of us knew she could."

"I hate to interrupt you, but my responsibility is to protect Raelyn. And I'll be damned if I sit around wasting time listening to the three of you blame each other." Fran stated as she began to levitate off the bed. Wings burst from her back and golden sapphire studded bracers appeared on her arms. Micah gasped. She had never been given armor. She wasn't supposed to be able to arm herself. As he had that thought she reached up her hand and a sword descended from the ceiling and softly settled itself into her hand.

Micah felt a change overwhelm him that he thought had long passed for him in the physical world. He looked down in wonder as his body changed from the old man that everyone knew back into the Nephilium warrior that he once was. He had not seen himself in this form in over a millennium but he had not forgotten. It was true he was still vampir. But first and foremost in his heart Micah was Nephilium. He smiled at Hailey realizing that his connection to Fran who was his mate and still pure in form forced his own true nature to take precedence over what had been forced on him so long ago. He began to chant with her, singing the old songs of war and victory...a prelude to the protection that they would bring, and a heaviness fell over the room. All Dimitri or Zayne could do is join their energy to the others,

Alex realized that he had no other talent to help Raelyn other than his ability to communicate with her. So he stayed calm and opened his mind.

And he did the one thing that he told Raelyn that he would never do. He forced himself into her thoughts. What he found awaiting him wasn't what he had expected.

“Oh non non ma petit...tres dangeraux...” Alex whispered his eyes slowly turning like twin glittering pieces of onyx.

Alex felt Grendel's presence and moved cautiously away from it. Grendel realized that his occupation of Raelyn's mind was being violated and moved to stop the intruder. Grendel laughed. He would get them both tonight if he was careful. Alex moved away in horror. He could not battle Grendel alone. He could not fight Grendel even with Dimitri's help without damaging Raelyn's mind. Alex knew from Grendel's thoughts that he didn't mind if Raelyn died when Alex tried to save her. If Grendel could not have her he was just as happy that she was dead rather than with Alex. There was no room to fight, and there was no way to win. Alex retreated then; frustrated, inwardly raging and deeply shamed that he'd had to leave her. Her screams still ringing in his ears threatened to tear his soul in two.

“What am I doing?” Alex thought miserably to himself. He had run like a frightened child, saving himself instead Raelyn. He felt her relief when she felt his presence. She thought he had come to save her. Instead he had abandoned her and left her in the embrace of a monster. The memory of the last encounter he had with Grendel was still fresh in his mind. He barely made it out alive. He wouldn't survive another encounter again even with Dimitri's help. It didn't matter. He had left Raelyn. Alone. Defenseless. With Grendel. A feral cry rose from his soul, tore through his chest. The force of it almost strangled him as it burst its way out of his throat. The house shook with the force of it. His eyes took on a wild look like a tiger who had been confined far too long had finally broken free. Before anyone could say anything else Alex lost it.

He could not hide the look of shame on his face when he turned toward Fran.

“What in Heaven's name did you just do Alexander?” Fran whispered disbelieving. Her eyes seemed to bore into his soul. She knew before anyone that instead of being able to reach Raelyn's thoughts that Alex had run head on into Grendel and then left Raelyn alone to fend for herself.

Alex felt something enter his body. A power surged and mingled with his barely controlled rage and it became alive within him. He let it have its way having long since tired of trying to control it. Alex had touched his lover's mind and had found a monster hiding there and he was powerless to stop it. Frustration snarled and raged within him and then the power had mercifully come. Now the snarling venomous rage had taken form and was throwing its massive body at the cage holding it in. It was only a matter of time that it broke out. Alex breathed deep of the beast and felt it grow within him. He knew it was what he needed to save Raelyn. He didn't stop to think what it would do to him or others when he let it out. He simply relaxed and let it grow.

Alex screamed, but it wasn't the sound of agony. It was a cross between an angry cougar and a battle cry. Fran, Micah, and Hailey stood watching. The unearthly sound swept throughout the house and raised the hair on the arms of everyone who heard it. Alex's body seemed to simply multiply in size. One could see the blood literally boiling in his veins, and his eyes lost the lovely emerald color that Rae loved so well, and became black with a thick red rim. Anything within reach Alex grabbed and smashed against the nearest wall. Hailey went to grab his arm to try to stop him from tearing up the house, and Alex knocked her across the room.

Dimitri shoved himself inside of Alex and tried unsuccessfully to make Alex calm down. Alex couldn't loose control. Not here. Not now.

Four other male vampires jumped onto Alex and rode his body to the ground. It was almost not enough. Their strength would wear out soon. Instead of getting tired, Alex seemed to be getting stronger. They would not hold him for long.

“Do not touch me!” he growled, not even seeing them.

“Alex, remember what happens when you allow your temper to get the best of you. You must calm, before you lose control.” Dimitri shouted, “I am your master now obey me..”

“You are not my master Dimitri. Not now. Not ever!” Alex growled. “You can never be what Paul was to me!” Alex found strength from the beast and shoved with all of his strength. Even though Dimitri had no physical form left, the energy required to eject him spread in rings and exploded all the ceramic vases in the room.

Dimitri was stunned. Alex should not have been able to disobey that order let alone display this kind of power. Then his eyes widened in understanding. “No! Not now.” Dimitri whispered to himself remembering Paul's words. Dimitri addressed Alex with renewed forcefulness. “Who has called you? Alex? Who commands the Blood Rage?”

“Alex this will not help save Raelyn.” Micah remarked.

“Screw you Micah. None of you understand a damn thing!” Alex roared. “But trust me you all will understand in a while.”

“You know what Alexander?, YOU are the one who knows nothing! Raelyn doesn't have time for your stupid, selfish, wallowing about your cowardly actions. I'm going to go get her now and when I bring her back I'm going to enjoy watching her kick your a*s! You need to figure out how to make up for what you have just done!” Fran ground out.

“I may never forgive myself.” whispered Alex looking Fran in the eye.

Fran stopped and took a long hard look at Alex finally seeing the pain living there. She let out a long slow breath and then turned and grabbed Micah's hand.

“Come my love, we have to rescue Raelyn ourselves.” she said to Micah as they headed towards the door. “I'm sorry Hailey, but I won't stand here and watch him wallow while Raelyn's life is at stake.” Fran spat out. She hated leaving little Hailey to deal with the enraged man behind her, but Fran was Raelyn's protector. She had to go.

Just as Fran and Micah reached the door Gaylena and Verome appeared. Verome was a long time associate of Micah's and Gaylena's boyfriend of three years. Right behind them was Raven, Hailey's boyfriend.

“My love are you okay?” He said examining her to see if she was ok. “Alexander what have you done? How dare you harm those closest to you?” Raven stated as he knelt down to help Hailey up.

“Thankfully you are here Raven. Hailey is going to need your help, and we have to leave.” Micah said.

Meanwhile Dimitri was trying to calm Alex to no avail.

“D****t Alexander if you cannot control yourself I will be forced to take over and that is no good. I don't think I have the strength to control the Blood Rage if that's what this is. If it takes over and both of us are overpowered I don't think even the ancients will be able to control us until we are both spent on blood...we are old...and we have not tasted blood in centuries...that could be a very long time... By the time they realize what has happened, it'll be too late for the poor innocents we slaughter.”

It was already too late. No sooner had Dimitri started talking did the changes begin. Dimitri, Hailey, Raven, and Alex were all aware that in a Blood Rage one's aura disappears completely, so all concerned knew not to look for his aura, rather for the lack of it.

Alex's fangs had begun to descend and everyone in the room could see the venom making its way to the tips of his fangs. His conscience was fading away, which was also a sign that Rae was in deep trouble; though Dimitri was the only one to knew it, because she was a strong part of his conscience these days Alex had given all control over to the Blood Rage. Alex's hands had begun to convert into claws.

“This is bad, very bad.” said Raven slowly backing away. All vampires that had any sense were scared of the blood rage when it presented itself. It's one of those things similar to the boogieman. You don't mess with it and you stay as far away as you can. Especially if you value your life.

“Raven, how do we stop it?” Hailey asked truly frightened.

“My love, there is nothing we can do, Alexander must now let the Blood Rage run its course and suffer the consequences afterward.” Raven replied pulling Hailey close.

While all this was happening Fran and the others had met up with Zayne. Micah was doing his best to calm Fran, which was not working.

“How in the heck do we fight someone if we don't know who that person is?” Fran said exasperated.

“That's just it Fran, we know who he is.” Zayne stated. “It's Michael from the hospital. Raelyn figured it out while she was still at work. That's why when she got to the house and saw that there was nothing she could to do help you, that she took off on her own to investigate.”

“Michael is...Grendel?” Fran repeated to Micah. Micah only shook his head. Michael had ingratiated himself to Fran too. She could barely believe what she had been told.

“Does Alex know?” Verome asked.

“Yes I told him. If you don't mind my asking,” Zayne queried. “Who the hell are you and why are you involved?” he looked towards Gaylena, “I know you, you were there the night I found out that I was the Sire.”

“No I don't mind, I am Verome, I am an associate of Micah's.” Verome responded.

“And he is my other half.” Gaylena replied with a smile.

“Okay cool. Back to the subject, we all know that Raelyn is in trouble. Do you by chance know where Michael lives Fran?”

'Ummm... No I do not Zayne, however we could go talk to Dr. Davidson at Oceanview, he'll be more than happy to give us the address.”

“Excellent suggestion Naigee.” Micah whispered kissing her forehead.

The five of them hopped into Zayne's land rover and headed for Oceanview. The air was tense and full for anxiousness. Gaylena and Verome were concentrating on the logistics of the pending fight ahead. Zayne was trying hard not to lose control of his emotions, while Micah gently stroked Fran's hand doing his best to will her to remain calm.

Fran on the other hand was in a trance like state and speaking with Dimitri.

“How could you let all this happen?” she demanded.

“I didn't think I would escape your wrath.” said Dimitri to himself through clenched teeth. He didn't have time for one of Fran's rants any more than Fran had time for Alex's self pity.

He answered her knowing she could not help being frustrated. Only she was responsible for Raelyn's safety. On that one subject everyone dutifully answered to Fran.

“Francine I didn't let anything happen! I couldn't stop Paul from making his choices anymore than I could prevent Raelyn from running off into danger. I am doing my best to eliminate any more madness from occurring however the only way for my to do so is to take over Alex's body and mind. Would you have me render him useless?”

“What are our options Dimitri? What happens if you take over his body and mind? Better yet what happens if you do not?”

“Alex is on the verge of the Blood Rage. If allowed to run free Alex will torture and kill all evil and possibly some not evil in his path to retrieving Raelyn. This is not a pretty thing Francine, and it will ultimately tear both Alex and Raelyn up. She may be shielding right now but she can still feel him. If I can take over his body and mind, he will be useless to assist you and fight. We could end up losing Raelyn altogether if I do that. So as you can imagine I am at a loss as to what to do, Hailey and Raven are trying their best to control him, but it won't last much longer. And Paul is no longer available to consult on this matter. I also gravely fear that if Alex is driven to accept the Blood Rage that he will awaken the Ancients, none of us want them involved in what is happening here.”

“What do you mean the Ancients Dimitri? Aren't they suppose to be the good guys?”

“Yes and no. The Ancients are our hierarchy, our form of government. They have forbidden any one to call the Blood Rage without their permission. The consequences for doing so mean time in the box for the vampire, and mind scrubbing for the Ilnayus who called it forth. I will not go into detail on that, just know that time in the box is the worst imaginable thing for our kind. You have to understand. The Ancients believe that the the Ilnayus, the Sire and the Nephilium no longer exist, and they have worked hard to ensure that when one of you were born, only the Ancients would have complete control over them. You are living proof that all of their efforts have failed.

The fact that all of you have independently vowed an allegiance with Valhala gives us as a pride a power and position that we have not had in 1000 years. We are a force to be reckoned with again, and the Ancients will know it. They will also know and dread they cannot threaten or control us because Paul has given power not to Alex who can be destroyed or made an example of, but to me;who cannot be effected by anything they may do. By their own law they cannot bring retribution to any member of Valhalla Pride but its leader, and I am beyond their reach. Paul planned the resurrection of Valhalla well. The Ancients are going to be frightened; and they are much more dangerous when they are angry and frightened. Zayne and you would be forced into seclusion, until they could turn you into one of their puppets. I don't know what they would do to Raelyn, since the nature of the Ilnayus is command not control. She is useless to them as a puppet, but she is too strong to let run loose uncontrolled. She has abilities beyond what we have seen in centuries. They will take her away and there will be nothing we can do, from what we have always been told the Ancients will kill her without hesitation.”

“I need to consult with Micah, but before I do so I wanted you to truly understand what's at steak here. What would you chose Fran? I need you opinion here.”

“Well....” Fran paused squeezing Micah's hand.

Micah knew what was going on, he knew already that Dimitri was giving Fran the news. He had already made his decision on whether to let Alex respond to the blood broiling through his veins. And to the beast that Micah knew was now calling to Alex. He knew their best chance of getting Raelyn back was to let Alex act upon the Blood Rage. His only way to reassure Fran was to squeeze her hand back in return.

Fran took a deep breath, knowing that what she was about to say could come back on her, yet in her heart she knew it was the right decision. She knew it would be the same response Raelyn would give if the tables were turned.

“Let Alex be called, Dimitri and let him answer in kind. The Ilnayus has called, let the Nosanguinous answer. We have no other option right now. Whatever happens we will all have to take responsibility for the outcome.”

Author's Note

*This is my first time writing for others to read, so please feel free to comment and/or critique. All feedback welcomed!*