Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Beautiful Remains

Nocturna Territory, London

[Laurence]

I open my eyes slowly, looking silently around me. The room I am in is dimly-lit, and it seems there is no one else here with me. I frown deeply, and then sit up slowly. I look around me, seeing that I'm in the cluttered infirmary in the Nocturna House. My head is pounding, and I rub my temples gently, teeth tightly gritted as I try to remember what happened.

The last thing I remember is being in the Damnatan Chamber. Kristy...wasn't Kristy. She was too bold, too confident of her actions. The normal Kristy would never stand up to Silvano Damnatan. She's too timid, too diffident. I remember thinking this as she and Silvano fought, and then...well, then Silvano was on his knees before her. He was pleading with her, and Kristy was just too merciful. She didn't kill him. She didn't harm him anymore. She just...told Silvano to let us leave. I remember thinking about how maleficent the Vampirie looked as Kristy helped me to my feet. I remember Kristy half-dragging, half-pushing me towards the open portal next to the large mahogany double-doors, and then...well, that's it. I guess I just blacked out at that point.

And now I'm lying here, in a hospital bed in the infirmary in the Nocturna House.

"Laurence. You're awake." I look quickly towards the window to see it is open, and Seth is crouching on the windowsill.

"Obviously. What are you sitting there for?"

"Not for your benefit, anyway. I'm watching over Kristy."

"She's here?" I look around me, and see the dark shape of someone lying unconscious on one of the beds nearer the window. "She's unconscious? What happened?"

"Uh...she passed out yesterday. Her blood is changing; it's more blue than anything, now. She's going to blossom soon. You know, you've missed a lot since you passed out."

"How long've I been out?"

"Unconscious? About 34 hours. Approximately."

"And what have I missed?" I ask; Seth chuckles darkly.

"Oh...where do I begin?"

About an hour later, Seth finally shuts up. I swear, the guy loves the sound of his own voice too much.

"So...Mikhael went back to the Damnata? Why, exactly?"

Seth groans. "I explained all this, dumbarse. He went to the Damnata because if he didn't, then Aryx, Jake, Janus and Sam would storm in here and just take Kristy away."

"Oh." I frown deeply. Just then, I hear a slight murmur, and Seth and I turn to look at Kristy at the sme time. She is still unconscious, but she has changed position. The backs of her hands are pressed against her blue-tinted left cheek, her lips slightly parted, and I hear clearly the name that passes by her lips in no more than a breathed whisper.

"Laurence..."

I feel my cheeks tinting slightly pink - what a feminine thing to do - and Seth just snorts, still looking sadly, silently down at Kristy. "She should regain consciousness soon. If she is talking in her sleep again, no doubt she will awaken shortly." Seth says softly. I walk around the bed and push the hair back from her pale, blue-tinted face gently, and then her eyes spring open, chocolate-brown depths filled with alarm and fear. She quickly meets my gaze, and then she opens her mouth to speak. No words come out, and eventually she just closes her mouth again.

"Kristy." I whisper. "You're okay."

And then she moves quickly, her movements a vague blur as she quickly wraps her arms around me and hugs me tightly, sighing.

"You're alive." She whispers. "I thought you were dead, Laurence. Never scare me like that again. Promise me."

"I promise." I smile slightly, and then she pulls back, looking over at Seth, who is just whistling softly to himself, his goggles over his eyes as he scans the woods from his perch on the windowledge.

"Seth. You might be able to help me with this one. I...I had a nightmare, but, um...it wasn't normal at all. I know you're good at deciphering these kind of things, so I thought it would be best to ask you directly."

Seth turns his head silently to look at Kristy, using one hand to nudge his goggles back up to rest on his forehead. "What happened?"

"Well...when I have nightmares, usually they're trivial things, like being hunted down by giant spiders or something. But...well...this nightmare - and one before it, in fact - had Silvano Damnatan in it."

Seth frowns, shaking his head slowly. "What happened in yuor nightmare, Kristy?"

"He was trying to make me agree to becoming his Mate. Said that everything in my life could...could go back to the way it was if...if I choose him instead. I suppose I kind of...fought him off."

"Really?" I ask. "In that case, it's obvious. He's found a way to enter your dreams."

"How can he do that?" Kristy asks me. Seth snorts softly.

"There's only one way he can. With the help of darker forces." Kristy looks confused all of a sudden. "In other words, demons are assisting the Damnata."

I narrow my eyes, eyebrows furrowed as I think long and hard about the situation. "I have a feeling things are about to get a whole lot more interesting."

"Damn straight. In fact, they were never actually boring." Seth snarls. He looks out the window towards the woods again, pulling his goggles over his eyes again. I hear the snapping of a twig, and then Seth leaps into action, pushing off of the windowsill and landing on the grass below. I meet Kristy's gaze again; she gulps. Looking terrified.

"It'll be okay." I assure her; she just smiles slightly.

"You've been telling me that since the day this all kicked off."

"That's because I don't want you running around, frantic and panicking." I take her hand in mine and squeeze it gently. "Now, are you coming downstairs? Apparently the Militia of the Damned are here, waiting for news of your consciousness. And Jake, Alex, Janus and Ennaleazer are there too."

Kristy blinks in surprise. "Ennaleazer?" She squeaks. "But...I thought she was with the Damnata...?"

"So did I. But Seth told me that she didn't agree with the Damnata's plans, and so when she and Mitsuru came here to find Aryx, Ennaleazer refused to return to Damnatalia. She...uh, seems to have taken a liking to Alex. And Alex seems to like her too."

Kristy grins. "Aw. That's adorable. This, Ineed to see. I mean, I spent fifteen years of knowing Alex and Jake thinking they were both gay. For each other."

I smile slightly. "Yes. Uh...well, are you coming?"

She nods slowly, sitting up properly and swinging her legs around. I pull her to her feet, and her smile is sweet, joyous. How anyone in her position could be joyous, I will never understand.

I hear a slight squeak, and Kristy and I turn to look at the dark shadow in the door that is, no doubt, Alyssa.

"You're alive!" She squeals, and then practicallythrows herself at Kristy. "I thought you'd died!"

"Uh...huh. I...uh, guess I'm not dead." Kristy staggers backwards awkwardly, and then Alyssa bounces backwards, crouching down and grinning up at Kristy. She looks towards me, and then sticks her tongue out.

"Now, you, we know you weren't dead."

"How?" I arch an eyebrow.

"Well, because the Guardian can't die when the Oracle is still alive!" I blink in surprise at the same time as Kristy does.

"Well." Kristy laughs softly. "You do learn something new everyday."

"Yes. Now come on, downstairs with the pair of you! The Militia are here to speak with Kristy. And besides, you have alot to catch up on."

* * *

[Picture: Laurence Beveridge, who plays our beloved Laurence.]

[Video: Beautiful Remains by Black Veil Brides.]