Dracula's Daughter

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sensing a threat, Valentina's lips parted and a snarl was ripped from her throat as she stepped forward and brandished her sword at the witch's throat.

"Valentina-" Christian struggled against the restraints of the forest but the more he moved the tighter the branches became.

But Valentina only had eyes for the witch who was still floating a few feet off the ground; her hair swimming around her as she extended her fingers out towards Christian, controlling the vines.

Knowing she couldn't harm the witch if they wanted her help, Valentina turned and swung her sword at the roots sticking out of the ground.

Her blade struck true and the witch shrieked as the branch retreated back into the ground, releasing Christian's leg.

Valentina felt enlightened that she could harm this forest but the witch just renewed her efforts as another, stronger, vine blew out of the dusty ground and secured itself back around his leg.

A second later Valentina heard the bone in his leg snap from the pressure; Christian hissing against the pain as his eyes dilated into black orbs.

"Release him," Valentina ordered the witch, her mouth opened slightly to accommodate her fangs, "I've never drank a witch before but there's a first time for everything," She threatened, taking a step forward.

"Release him," Valentina ordered her again, taking another step forward but the woman barely gave Valentina a glance of importance before turning back to Christian.

Looking over her shoulder Valentina saw Christian being held almost five feet off the ground, his face was hard as he tried to block the pain as leather looking vines and branches twirled around his limbs, threatening to pull him in all directions.

She didn't like him being hurt.

Dipping her head back to face the witch, Valentina pushed herself off the ground and sailed through the air, one knee raised.

Using the skills of her father, she flew across the twenty foot gap and knocked the witch out of the sky before she could push Valentina away.

Falling to the ground, Valentina pressed her sword against the witch's skin as she held her arm out to the side.

Valentina pressed her nail against the vein in her wrist; almost pleading with her to try something just so that she could kill her.

"Release him," Valentina hissed, her dark hair falling down like a curtain, blocking them off from the others, "Now,"

Her eyes flashed with anger and her grip on her sword was strong.

Valentina tried to search the witch's eyes but they were like running streams of silver; they watched Valentina warily and with interest.

"You hold a secret," the witch whispered as she lifted her head, trying to look deeper into Valentina, "A very dark secret, indeed,"

Valentina frowned; she had to be bluffing. There was no way she knew about-

"I won't ask again," Valentina hissed, throwing her sword away and trading it for her own hands, she could feel her blood pumping under her thin skin, feel her heart beating and it didn't even miss a step.

She wasn't bluffing or lying; she was speaking the truth.

"I will help you in your quest," the witch whispered, her pale lips barely an inch from Valentina's, "But you must give me something in return,"

"The girl . . ." Valentina started, remembering the sedated girl they had brought with them as payment.

"I will take the girl but there is something only you can give me," Invidia lip's pulled back into a smile and Valentina got the feeling that she wasn't frightened of them.

Valentina could snap her neck like a twig but Invidia knew that she wouldn't do it. They needed her to help them find the Hybrid.

Valentina never liked being in someone's pocket and right now she was.

Christian found Valentina ten minutes later, perched on a window sill within the witch's home.

The wood was burnt and the scents of herbs filled their nostrils as the witch performed a locator spell but Christian could only watch Valentina.

Keeping their connection on the sly, in hopes that the witch had missed it, he kept himself standing and watched her lithe form as she stared at the window, her eyes holding a vacant look.

"What did she say to you?" Christian murmured.

"You didn't hear?" Valentina frowned, not turning to look at him but her voice was strained and her fingers seemed to be soothing her blade which lay across her lap.

"None of us could hear anything," Christian frowned, "But she said something?"

Valentina turned and stared across the room at her new female companion; there was a pact between the two of them and Valentina knew she would not have let the others hear it.

It was just another blackmailing tool to use against Valentina if she parted from her path.

Invidia sent her a flash of a smile, confirming Valentina's suspicions that she had magically kept their conversation a secret. And that she should do the same.

"She only talked about killing you," Valentina turned back to staring out at the forest but more reflectively, staring out at the world.

Valentina wondered where she was.

"What did you do?" Christian leaned forward, anticipating her answer.

"How's the leg?" Valentina switched the topic of conversation as she lifted her sword and hit it against his thigh.

The moment Invidia had released him, his bone had snapped back into place and he was walking normally again within a matter of seconds.

He could sense that she didn't want to talk about it yet so he let the topic go but after nearly half a millennium together still neither could admit their feelings for the other.

Because that would mean surrendering and neither of them were about to give in to the other.