Worlds Colliding

Orion pressed Caramia close, feeling her confusion, uncertainty, and panic, but she didn't question anything. They followed the armored vampires out of the hidden tunnel, passing through a wall to get into an alleyway in Crown.

His eyes glanced over at the vampires and noticed that their clothes were magicked to blend blend in with the others.

"What's the closest entry point?" one of them questioned the other.

"Shale Abbey," she told them. Shale Abbey? The Devereuxs? She noticed the look on his face and smirked. "Didn't you ever wonder why nobody could ever locate their whereabouts? They straddle the old and new world."

He still wasn't convinced. It was true that the Devereuxs could vanish if they truly didn't wish to be found, but it was just part of their mystique. It was their profession to disappear and work within the shadows.

However, he believed it had to do more with magic, probably originated by the fairies. The fae folk had helped with carving out areas where the otherworldly could exist without disrupting the mortals. The Devereuxs worked with fairies and he was certain their magical and mystical ways was what cloaked them. It was the fae folk that provided underground provinces. They were more like portals into a hidden worlds.

Orion assessed the three vampires as they talked amongst themselves while they hurried through the crowd. Holding Caramia close by as they weaved through the crowd with them.

There was one female and two males. The female had dark mahogany hair that was fashioned into double dutch fishtail braids. Her sapphire eyes darted about accessing their surroundings.The two males also had onyx eyes, but one had dark hair cropped short and the other had tousled dirty blond locks that edged to the curve of his chin. They didn't look out of place anymore, but there was that aura of powerful energy pulsing around them that made it known they weren't same average mundane folks.

"Ruby, we're cutting it close," the blond vampire stated.

The brunette huffed. "We'll make it," she told him as they quickly made their way to Starlet Galleria, where Orion knew the underwater train was located. "We better make it."

"Damn it," the dark haired male gasped, looking back into the crowd. "They're coming." Orion watched him and Ruby exchange looks. "I can slow them down."

The blond growled. His eyes tinged red. "We keep together. No heroics, Alessio," he demanded and Ruby sighed then nodded. "We're already at the galleria."

Alessio grabbed the blond vampire. "This is our duty to the kingdom, my love," he reminded him. A small smirk tipped the corner of his mouth. "You know this is the only way."

"Fine," the blond grunted, but he tugged him towards him. "But I'm coming with you."

Alessio only nodded and the blond quickly took off into the crowd towards the ones hunting them down. Alessio glanced over at Ruby and she quickly searched herself to find the tickets. She handed them over.

"I better see you both on the train," she told him firmly. He smirked then nodded before he took off in the same direction as the blond. Her eyes locked upon Orion. "I need to get you both on it."

Orion nodded. "Where are we headed to?"

"Merritt Province," Ruby answered.

"Right." His eyes scanned the area, spotting the narrow corridor that was the quickest path to the correct train. "There. Through that corridor."

Ruby glanced in the direction of his eyes and she nodded in her head in appreciation before taking off. Orion followed the brunette as he tightened his grip on Caramia, leading her quickly towards the safety of the train. He could feel Caramia's heartbeat racing in building panic, but he forced himself to concentrate on getting them to the train. He would comfort his mate later when they could do so safely.

When they made it to the underwater train leading to Merritt Province, they waited with the crush of people until it was their turn to board. He followed Ruby until they made it to one of the private rooms. The moment they entered and Ruby quickly slid the door shut, relief flowed through them.

Orion sat down on one of the bench seats lining the perimeter of the room. He gently tugged Caramia down next to him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She snuggled into his side and he dropped a kiss on her forehead when she pressed the side of her face into his shoulder.

The threat obviously wasn't over. Even though Ruby relaxed with relief at being where they needed to be, she was once again focused upon keeping watch and on guard. Orion watched her alternate between the window looking into the train and the one looking outside until she paused at the one looking outside.

"Behind you," she muttered, stiffening as she stared out into the crowd.

Both Orion and Caramia both shifted upon the seat to look outside to see Alessio and the blond vampire. The pair were not aware that a couple of the Darklings were stalking them and hunting them through the crowd. Orion assumed the Darklings were the cloaked and hooded figures with glowing red eyes beneath the hood. They moving swiftly, almost floating at breakneck speed.

They all watched the inevitable moment that Alessio and a Darkling clashed. Orion's eyes widened when Alessio drew a glowing sword that had swirls of violet electricity rippling through it. He watched this viscous violent battle between the two erupt.The crowd unaffected by them fighting as they continued to board the train. The blond attempted to assist Alessio, but he was ambushed from behind by a Darkling and fought it off while also drawing a similar sword.

Orion noticed that the Darklings were beginning to surround the pair, overwhelming them by numbers. He felt Caramia's heartbeat like thunder and lightning storming within.

"No!" Ruby gasped as the pair was kicked viciously to the ground.

Orion focused on the weapons intent to execute the pair and he watched as the Darklings went in for the kill. He smirked when the figures couldn't move their weapons like they had intended. Energy burst within him like a dam breaking and ripped through him like an explosion.

His eyes widened as he saw the entire group of Darklings be engulfed by a bright aura. His eyes immediately followed the trail of energy leading to Caramia, who was watching the scene with tears in her eyes. He and Ruby exchanged shocked looks before they both looked back out of the window. The Darklings keeled over and stumbled a bit before they collapsed on the ground. Their entire bodies writhing with an electric current surging through them.

Unable to defend themselves, the Darklings were dealt with swiftly as Alessio and the blond made quick work of them. Once the threat was eliminated, the currents of energy emanating from Caramia faded off and she slowly glanced over at Orion. Her eyelids drifted close and the heaviness of fatigue in her body were his indicators that she was about to pass out. He quickly scooped her up in his arms as her words echoed through his mind.

I couldn't let them die.

~

"So he bought his human wife a mansion on Dikastika Bay?" Helios asked Derrick as they sat in the back of a sleek black mercedes.

Derrick nodded his head. "Lord Dimitri Cristos wanted to make his estranged wife happy."

"Clearly."

They had already passed by a few luxurious villas along the way. When they had reached Athens, Helios had contacted a car rental company and choose a car suitable for showing up at Lord Dimitri's residence for his wife. Derrick knew all pureblood lines are steeped in absolute wealth and it would be foolish to assume that Lord Dimitri wouldn't bathe his deceased wife in luxury even if they had fallen out of love.

It was widely known that they had separated and lived two different lifestyles, but Lord Dimitri protected what he was responsibile for. He was a well known and respected politician that lived in downtown Crown. Long gone was the violent and rebellious nature of his youth, he had become civil, detached, and only spoke when necessary. When he did, it was rare that anyone ever spoke against his word.

He was an immortal god and legendary warrior. Before he became civilized, mortals and immortals feared the vampire. There was just this powerful intimadating aura about the ancient vampire that never faded throughout the years.

Derrick was certain it just laid dormat within him... until it was provoked and he was quite bloody certain he didn't wish to be on the receiving end of it.

It was almost strange that Lord Dimitri choose a mortal to birth his offspring. It had been known that it started as a love connection, but it didn't stay as one. It was understandable.

His wife wasn't his true mate.

Derrick thought about Briar and knew that he wouldn't ever recover from her influence over his heart and soul. The lady was forever engrained into his being. He sighed, reflecting on their very brief time together. He was thankful for the moments that were given to him, but he was an impatient and selfish vampire as was their nature. His heart ached for her. Being apart from her was torture, but he knew it was beyond and above purely selfish to ask her to a part of all this.

He couldn't even promise that after all of it that they had a future. Immortality was timeless until it was taken and he had his entire House and their bloody alies gutting for him. He wouldn't make any promises he couldn't keep, which is why he couldn't complete the matebond with her. She had a chance to find love again. Her life wasn't in danger.

Even though he wanted to kill at the thought of her finding love and sharing her soul with another, he could never forgive himself if he died and she had to feel that hollowness. He could never forgive himself if she died, because she was his Achilles' heel.

Helios whistled, drawing Derrick out of his thoughts. He glanced out the window as the car drove up to a beautiful house with massive windows to overlook the view. Derrick's eyes widened at the sight and shook his head.

"They were estranged?" Helios chuckled, shaking his head. "Yet he bought her that."

Derrick nodded then tilted his head. "Out of guilt perhaps?"

Helios paused for a moment then shrugged. The woman did birth him his children, who decided to continue their birthright and receive the dark gift. Perhaps, he felt indebted to her. Most vampires weren't honorable like Lord Dimitri. They just took without caring just like his stepbrother and every single vampire in his High. His own father took his mother's body without her permission, forced her to carry a child she didn't want, took her son away, and then took her entire meaning to live away.

In the world of vampires, kindness was a hidden trait that wasn't worshipped like humans did. However, the honorable ones certainly had it, but they hid it quite well. Vampires certainly didn't marry mortals and put them up in fancy houses publically when it went south, but Lord Dimitri Cristos wasn't afraid or intimidated by anyone.