Death And The Phoenix

Being immortal, death wasn't truly feared until one was faced with it. Dove felt her life slipping away with the blood draining from her body. The shocking realization that she hadn't truly lived. She had lived in the shadows of dreams she could never attain. She hadn't risen to her potential.

To be faced with that disappointment when her life was slipping between her fingertips. What hurt the most was that she was dying and her mate wouldn't care if she died or not. She hated that was what hurt her the most. That even faced with death, she still thought of him.

She still thought of him even after he shattered her soul. He still was the last thing she thought about as her last moments drifted to darkness, but she knew she hadn't died.

All she felt was immense pain and she was screaming. She remembered her sister forcing her to drink some concoction that felt like knives slicing her up inside as it went down. She kept forcing her to drink until she begged her to stop, but her sister begged her to continue drinking. Sister and sister gazed into one another's eyes and Dove forced herself to drink more until the pain dulled to an ache.

When she awoke, she had to force her eyes to open. She glanced around the room and noticed that her sister was slumped in a chair by the bed she was currently recovering in. She felt the wrappings around her torso. She could feel the wounds still. Wincing as she shifted, she felt the sharpness.

She glanced down and noticed that blood was blossoming through the light garment and wrapping. She tried to speak, but her throat felt swollen and painful. Her tongue was heavy. She couldn't form any words as tears filled her eyes.

Her sister roused awake as her sister's mate rushed inside the room. He quickly put a goblet to her lips and tipped it so the liquid went down her throat. She sputtered, struggling against him as she tried to bat it away. Her sister grabbed her hands.

"Please, Dove," Layla begged. "Please just drink it."

The desperate plea was accompanied by tears and Dove allowed the torture to continue. It felt like it went on for hours and hours. This sick cycle of resting then waking to pure hell continued ruthlessly. Her body had to be dying.

She had to be dying.

Each time, she awoke, she begun to pray for death, because the pain was like a parasite infestation. She no longer felt the will to live. She just wanted to fade, to drift off into a world where pain numbed. That was all she wanted to not feel any pain anymore.

"Don't you dare!" Layla screamed at her. "You're not dying! Do you hear me?! You're going to live! You have to live! He's coming! Your mate is coming!"

Dove shook her head at the lie. He's not. He doesn't even know.

"Lord Dimitri Cristos is coming," she told her. "You just need to hold on a little longer. You need to hold on until he gets here. Please, Dove, just hold on a little longer."

But he's not...

He's not coming...

Darkness came for her, swallowing her whole.

~

I couldn't let them die...

Caramia couldn't. She had watched those wicked creatures descend upon the warriors. She knew if she didn't do something or anything that they would die. She refused to let it happen. She couldn't allow it. Before she knew what was happening, an energy tore through her as if she was struck by lightning.

Moments after the warriors were truly safe did she let go of that power. She remembered looking to Orion and his arms wrapping around her before her vision faded to darkness. She awoke to a hum of voices that sharpened to audible words.

"She's awake," Orion spoke and the voices tapered off. Forcing her eyes to open, she peered up into Orion's gorgeous eyes. The concern in them wasn't lost on her. "How're you feeling?"

Like she got struck by lightening. "Never better."

"Try again," he muttered, rolling his eyes at the lie.

"Don't ask questions you already know the answers to then," she grumbled.

She attempted to sit up, but she instantly regretted it. She didn't struggle against Orion when he urged her body back down on the bench. Instead, her eyes flicked to the others occupying the other benches. She was glad when the two male warriors appeared very much alive and unscathed.

"You two made it," she murmured. The blond smiled at that and nodded.

The dark haired male's eyes softened. "Thanks to you." His eyes flicked to Orion, to Ruby, and then back to Caramia. "Your eyes are proof," he whispered in awe to her utter confusion. What was wrong with her eyes? "That's quite some gift you were blessed with."

"I-I don't know where that came from," she admitted, panic threading into her voice. She eyed Orion nervously and he placed a hand over hers. "Orion, I didn't know--"

"It's rare," Ruby interrupted. "High vampire bloodlines are gifted with amazing abilities. It's not a surprise that the both of you can do incredible things." She gave a pointed look to Orion and Orion smirked. *Observant. She must've caught me using mine.* "But you," she said as her eyes snapped to her. "Who was your mother?"

"My-My mother?"

"We know who your father was," the dark-haired male told her honestly. "Your mother--"

"Was a mortal like me," Caramia said. "She died by..." Orion shook his head, causing her to trail off. She frowned at him. Your father didn't want to traumatize you. "What do you mean?"

Orion sighed, surveying the train car before his eyes landed upon Caramia. "Your mother was a mortal, but she wasn't a mere mortal," he told her softly. "She was a Phoenix."

All of the warriors drew in a sharp breath when he said those words. A Phoenix? Caramia didn't understand what that meant. Did that mean she was a Phoenix or whatever that meant? What was a Phoenix?

"A Phoenix is a soul that returns to life after death, but they can only unlock immortality after suffering a rite of passage," Orion finally explained with a sigh. "Your mom never unlocked her true immortality."

She frowned at that. "How did I unlock--"

"You became a vampire," the blond vampire stated softly. "You became a true Phoenix by the transformation, but your powers didn't unlock until moments ago."

Does that mean I would've become a Phoenix if I did die from leukemia? Caramia's heart clenched at that. Did that mean Orion risked his bloodline and reputation for nothing? Orion grabbed her hand, forcing her eyes to meet his. It was inevitable. You're my true mate.

"We, Caleb and I, suspected your mom was a Phoenix," he told her aloud. "We didn't know for certain, because she died a mortal death. Mortal death isn't the same as spiritual death."

She frowned. "How is vampire transformation a spiritual transformation?"

"You're giving up your human morality," Ruby stated softly. "Vampires and otherworldly creatures don't have the same ethics as humanity. Compassion is something we hide. We operate more on advantage, gain, and power."

"Not to say we can't be altruistic," the dark haired vampire immediately stepped in. "But it's more a personal cause than a majority."

"Think about the ton," Orion pointed out. "Think about how they operate. Think about how you had to hide who you truly are behind a mask and only show the real you in closed quarters to people you trust."

The vampire ton was a savage society and that was only high society! Vampires weren't civil creatures. They did operate within guidelines, but vampire ethics was different from human ethics. They killed and weren't held accountable unless they broke cardinal regulations of vampire code decided by the Council. Caleb never hid who he was and how vampire society truly was. He told her that she was his responsibility and was indebted to her because their shared blood. She was his ward passed on to him by their father's wishes. Devotion and respect only developed when he got to know her. He had been merely curious about her in the beginning.

"I believe we know who your mother was," Ruby popped into her thoughts. Caramia's eyes widened at that. "You're a spitting image of Olivia's sister, Beatrice."

"Wait." Orion cursed. "You mean Olivia Raleigh? You're referring to that Olivia."

"You know her?" Caramia questioned.

"All vampires do," he grumbled, glancing at the others. "She's a famous vampire hunter -- a full Phoenix. That explains why Bea didn't want to be claimed even though she was your father's natural mate. She didn't want her secrets to be outed."

"Beatrice knew the code." The blond nodded. "She didn't approve of Olivia's chosen path and vanished. She didn't believe all vampires were the enemy. Obviously not. She took up with one."

"The Raleighs were from the old world," Ruby told them, with a shrug. "Olivia almost was the Queen of the Vampires, but after the Darklings murdered her parents, she refused to become our King's mate even though they were natural mates. She escaped here with her sister through Shale Abbey and they went their separate ways."

"She had been causing havoc in our world until she just disappeared," Orion finished then sighed.

The dark haired male nodded. "We had to send vampire sheriffs after her by the decree of the Vampire King, the Council, and the Keys to subdue her and bring her back to the old world. She's been hiding ever since."

"So my aunt famously hunts us," Caramia said slowly, glancing around. "My mother was her sister but my mother didn't share her beliefs. My grandparents were killed by Darklings that are currently hunting us. My aunt was supposed to be mated to my mate's uncle, who happens to be vampire royalty in a once upon a time world far, far away." Orion smirked at that analysis. In fact, they all did. "My mother couldn't be mated to my father, because of all the secrets her blood would tell. And I'm a vampire which triggered my Phoenix genetics. Does that sound just about right?"

"Mm, you can also electrocute and set people on fire," the dark haired vampire added wryly with a smirk.

Caramia glanced over at Orion, who just shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "I was just told I'm vampire royalty in that once upon a time world far, far away," he reminded. "We're both in the same boat."