3 comments/ 19471 views/ 5 favorites The Shadow That Binds By: shadow_raider Note: This story series is a follow-on to "Pentagram Of Fire". Although this story can be enjoyed by itself, it will be much more understandable and enjoyable if "Pentagram Of Fire" is read first. I had informed the council of what I had seen, but they didn't consider it to be a real threat. they told me to rest and prepare for the birth of my baby. I took their advice. I was sitting in the library with a book when dad sat down next to me. "Hi dad! "How are you?" he asked. I put the book down. "I just can't shake this feeling that something bad is going to happen, but the council won't listen to me." "What do you think will happen?" "I don't know. But, I do know one thing. Claire isn't finished with me, that's for sure!" Dad placed a hand on the bump that showed the presence of his future grandchild. "Well, if she tries to hurt you or your baby I will personally kill her!" I smiled. "Thanks dad! When is the council meeting?" "That's what I came to tell you. They need to talk to you, now." I nodded and followed dad down to the council hall. Every one was already seated. I sat down next to my mate, Damien. It seemed like just the usual boring council business. We were half way through one of the council men's boring account of something. I wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying. Suddenly there was an almighty bang! Everyone looked toward the hall doors which seemed to be the source of the noise. Then another bang was heard! The doors burst open. Someone started to shout orders as a black cloud of smoke started to creep into the hall. Damien drew his sword and stood in front of me. The smoke settled. I looked around Damien and nearly fainted. "Well, well, well, we meet again!" James said. I came out from behind Damien. I knew that I had killed James! "How can you be alive?" I asked. "Simple really! You only banished my soul but you didn't destroy my body! I thought you would have had more sense than that! claire very kindly brought me back and here she is." he said as he stood to one side. Claire stepped out of the shadows, bold as brass. "Well, if it isn't the little witch who banished me." she said with an evil sneer. She had grown even more wolf like in the few short months since I had banished her to the astral plane. Damien knew the danger that I, and the baby, were in. I could hear his thoughts trying to find a way of getting me out. "If only there was some kind of distraction I could get out." I thought to Damien. I wish I hadn't thought that because as I did, he smiled at me and threw himself towards James and Claire. I took the opportunity and ran. I got to the stables and mounted Midnight before they caught up with me. Claire tried to block me with flames as I rode out on Midnight. In response I conjured up water and drenched her and the flames. Midnight bolted at top speed. I neither knew nor cared where I was going, I didn't care as long as it was away from Claire! I could hear howling and I knew James would be after me! It was then that I remembered what grandfather had said. I turned Midnight and headed north. It didn't look like they were following me. They knew that at some point I would have to go back there, so they must have held their ground. It only took me a day or two to reach the lost palace. I had tied Midnight up in the same field as I did the last time I was there. I ran to the palace. There were no guards this time. "What was Leo playing at?" I thought to my self. "Why are you going to him?" Damien's voice sounded in my head. "Well would you rather I went back and was killed?" I retorted. "No, I suppose not." Damien said. "What's going on in the castle?" I asked. Damien, through our bond, replied, "They have us tied up and are searching the castle for the book of shadows. They need the dis-empowering spell." he said. "I thought as much." I responded. At the palace, the servant's door was open so I went in. The kitchen was alive with activity. No one spotted me until I moved into the middle of the room. It was then when Caroline came over. "Dear child where the hell have you been?" she said. "Look, Caroline, it's to long and complicated to explain right now. Is either Leo or Dermot here?" I asked. "They're both here and I need you to help with the food." "No! I need to see either one of them right now! It's urgent." I said. "Very well, I'll go and get Leo. Wait here." Sure enough within a few minutes Leo came running into the kitchen and hugged me. "Sara what are you doing here?" "Can we go some place more private than here? Then I can explain." He nodded and lead me towards the hall. Granddad was sitting talking to others. Leo addressed them "Will you please excuse us Dermot and I need a chat in private?" No one argued with him. Granddad looked confused. "Leo what's going on?" He stepped aside and I ran over to granddad and hugged him tightly. "Not that am not glad to see you Sara, but what are you doing so far away from the castle?" I sat down and told them everything that had happened. Dermot looked like he could kill someone "James is alive?" he said through gritted teeth. "Yes! So is Claire! They managed to brake out of the astral plane and are hell bent on killing me." At that point the baby had decided to give me a kick in the kidney. I winced in pain. "Are you okay Sara?" Leo asked. "Fine the baby just decided to start kicking me in the kidney." Grandfather laughed. "It's not funny granddad. It hurt!" He looked at me. "You know I'm not really your grandfather." he said. I looked at him, "As far as I'm concerned you are! Okay?" He smiled at that. Leo said, "So, let me get this straight. James has teamed up with Claire to strip you of your powers and kill you. What I don't understand is why go to all that bother just to kill you?" I just shrugged my shoulders. Grandfather said, "There must be something here that we are missing." I looked at Leo, "Is there anything else that you or Damien haven't told me?" I asked. He thought for a second "I don't think so" he said. I thought back to see if there was anything else that was missing or not right. "There is one thing missing, but I still don't see what it has to do with me." Leo looked at me. "What is it?" he asked. "I found a book a few months back. It was about the origin of the werewolf and vampire, but the vampire part was missing. Maybe this all has something to do with that. How did Damien become a vampire anyway?" I asked. "I'm not really sure I was kidnapped and forced into becoming a werewolf as it says in that book. When I was a werewolf, I realised that Damien was already a vampire." he said. Granddad looked confused. "What do you and Damien have to do with John and Thomas?" granddad asked. "Thomas?" I said, looking at Leo. He shrugged his shoulders then looked at granddad. "If you must know Damien and I are brothers! I am Thomas and Damien is John. We changed our names after Alana was killed and Claire imprisoned." he said. Grandfather just looked at him in astonishment. I felt panic hitting me through the bond that Damien and I shared. "What's wrong" I asked Damien though our bond. "They've found the book of shadows!" he said. Then I started to panic. Granddad looked at me "What's wrong?" "James and Claire have found the book of shadows!" "Don't worry about that!" Leo said. I looked at him. "What do you mean don't worry? What if they get to the dis-empowering spell?" "They won't! Trust me." Leo said. Grandfather re-entered the discussion. "I'm with her on this one! If they find that spell she's in big trouble." Leo answered him, "No she isn't!" It was my turn to ask a question. "What do you mean I'm not in trouble?" "Before Alana hid the book she put powerful spells on it. The book can only be opened and read by someone of Alana's line. There are only two people in Alana's line, that is you and your baby so as long as they don't get you, you're safe." he said. I was breathing a sigh of relief when a quick message from Damien changed everything. Damien almost shouted through our bond, "James and Claire are on their way to you now!" to be continued The Shadow That Binds Ch. 02 I am sorry for the long delay i could bore you with the details but I don't think that would be a good idea anyway my editor and i are working to get the rest of this series out enjoy! feedback is always appreciated the good and the bad. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "What do you mean there on they're way here?" grandfather asked. "Damien told me that they're leaving the castle and on there way here. We need to get every one out of here now!" I said. Leo nodded. A guard came running into the hall. "Leo were surrounded we can't get out!" he said. "Yes we can! Get every one to the basement now!" I said. Grandfather just looked at me. "The basement?" he said. I nodded and responded, "How do you think I got out of here in the first place?" Leo just looked at me and asked, "How did you get out? I've been wondering that my self." I said, "There's a secret passage in the basement. We can get every one out through there." He nodded. I made my way out into the hall grandfather followed me. I grabbed a torch and headed down to the basement. I could hear Leo ordering everyone to the basement. We got there first. Grandfather looked around, "Sara, there's nothing here." he said. "Do you have a dagger?" I asked. He nodded and handed me a small dagger with a wolf head on it. I headed over to where the crack in the wall was and slid the dagger in and pushed the door open. Grandfather just stood slack jawed at me "you were saying?" I said. By this time Leo and the rest of the people were in the basement. Leo just looked at the door. "Get everyone in! I take it you know Daniel yes?" I asked. He nodded, "Why do you ask?" he asked. "He's in here. Tell him that I sent you and the rest of the people. I need to stay behind to make sure the door gets closed. When we get in I will tell you what I want you to do and what you need to tell me okay?" I said as he ran past me he nodded I waited until the last person went through the door which happened to be Caroline. She gave me a confused look. When we were both in I shut the door and made sure it was tight then went after Leo and grandfather. When I got to the top of the tunnel Daniel was talking to Leo. " Daniel I'm sorry for intruding but we need safe passage out of the palace." I said. He nodded. I continued, "Leo I want you to take the rest of the people and get them to the castle. Tell Damien to get the army ready for battle. We need both the werewolves and vampires to join forces to beat James and Claire but I need to know where did you and Damien come from?" He looked at me "You mean the village we grew up in?" I nodded. "It's about three hundred miles north of here. There's nothing there now why do you want to go there?" he asked. "I need to know how Damien came into being. He wont tell me. Even through our bond as I have asked him but he won't answer me. Can you tell me?" I asked. "And, There is one other thing, I don't know its importance but I will tell you in the village there are runes with strange symbols on them there in the graveyard at the back of the village" I looked at him "do you know what there used for?" I asked. He just shook his head. I looked at Daniel. "Did john ever tell you where he came from?" I asked him. "It was the one thing he never spoke of as if it pained him to say anything. I asked him many times but I never got an answer." he said. I nodded. "Okay let's go Daniel. I need you to go with the werewolves. They will take you to the castle okay?" He nodded and we headed to the water fall. "Follow the river and it will take you to the castle. Don't worry about me, I will be fine!" I said to grandfather. I jumped into the water but Leo clung onto me. I whispered to him, "Leo you need to let me go!" I said he shook his head. "Find our mother, she will tell you everything. I didn't want to say anything in front of your grandfather." he said as he let me go. I nodded. I followed the river until it slowed then I swam to the bank and pulled my self out of the water. Leo looked at me I nodded and started to head north it took me hours to dry off. I wondered what Leo meant "find our mother", how could their mother be alive? No matter, I had to find her. For a few days I walked north wondering how long it would be for James to realise that everyone was missing from the palace. After days of walking I came across a few run down cottages. It looked like it could have been a village of some sorts. I walked among the cottages. I walked into one. It was a small house. There were carvings on the wall. I conjured a flame in my hand. It was the strange writing that Damien had read in the cave. "Damien I need your help!" I said though our bond. "What's wrong, is the baby okay?" he asked. "The baby's fine I have came across that writing that we found in the cave. I can't read it." I said through the bond. "Okay, do your best to pronounce it for me." he said. I did my best and Damien laugh through the bond. "Okay, from what I think you have told me it says that the wolf is the vampire." he said. That just confused me. "That doesn't make sense Damien. Please just tell me, where do you come from?" I said. He sighed, "I honestly don't know where I come from that's I can't tell you." he said before he blocked him self from me. I sighed the wolf is the vampire? What the hell did that mean? It made no sense. I walked out of the house and looked around. It looked like there had been some sort of disaster as there was piles of rubble and some houses were completely demolished. At the back there was the graveyard that Leo told me about. I looked at the symbols. It was a triquetra. It was over all of the gravestones. I heard footsteps coming form behind me. I turned expecting James or Claire but it wasn't; it was an woman draped in a black cloak with the triquetra fastening the cloak. "May I help you?" she asked. "Yes. I'm looking for someone." "Who?" she asked. "I don't know her name but she has two sons, John and Thomas." As I said this her eyes widened. "What do you want with them? If you have come to harm them I will kill you!" she said. I put my hands up. "I'm not here to harm them. John is my mate. I need to find his mother." She seemed to soften a little. "You're his mate?" she asked. I nodded. "I'm his mother; you had better come with me then." I nodded and followed her into one of the houses. She had a fire lit and what smelled like stew. My stomach rumbled very loudly and the baby gave me a good kick as if to say it was hungry. I winced at the pain. "Are you okay?" she asked. "I'm fine, it's just that my baby likes to kick me is all." She looked at me as she handed me a bowl of stew. "You're with child?" I nodded. "Eat, you'll feel better." she said. We ate in silence. Finally she asked, "Tell me, who are you and what brings you to my neck of the woods?" "My name's Sara and I need to find how and where John became a vampire." I said. She looked at me, "Did he not tell you?" "He says he doesn't know. Thomas said the same thing." I said. She looked at me, "That's not strictly true. The boys went through something none of us could ever imagine." she said. "What happened?" I asked. "The boys were sleeping in the back room. My husband and I were sitting in here when they came. Devils they were! They tore our village apart destroyed the houses, the farms, and the livestock. Everything! The boys and my husband went out to fight them with the rest of the village men. Those shadow creatures killed my husband and took the boys captive. When they came back they were different, strange, they weren't my boys anymore. They both had an insatiable lust for meat and every month they would go off in the woods doing what I don't know but then John changed even more they were in the middle of the town centre. Someone had been stabbed, or something to that effect. John had to drink their blood. After that both boys left the village and I never saw them again." she stopped there. "I'm so sorry. Tell me, what do you know of the symbols on the graveyard?" I asked "They're an ancient symbol. It speaks of a legend that in the darkest hour of our land three will come forward with the power to destroy the shadow! But they never came." she said. "I'm sorry about what happened to your husband and sons. John is a good man, as is his brother." I said. She looked at my stomach, "Is the child Johns?" she asked. I nodded yes. "I always wanted him to take a wife, a good one. What exactly are you trying to do?" she asked. "I'm not sure. We're at war and I need to find out where john came from and who these three are." I said. She looked at me and asked, "why?". "Because we're at war with the shadow creatures. Do you know of Alana and Claire?" I asked. "Of course! They're from this village as well. I had hoped that john would marry Alana but it never happened." she said. I nodded. I could hear footsteps coming from outside. "Are there more people in this village?" I asked. She shook her head. I looked out of the window of the house and Claire and James. I stood to go outside. "Look, I don't know if this will help but find Alana's grave it may help." she said as she draped a cloak around me. I nodded and went out to face Claire and James. The Shadow That Binds Ch. 03 I walked out and stood to face Claire and James. I said, "Well, well look what the wolf dragged up!" Claire glared at me. James asked, "So what brings you out here?" "Yeah, like I'm going to tell you!" I said. "Fine, have it your way! Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way: your choice." James said. "I think we'll do this the hard way." I said. Claire stood forward she raised her hands and the ground around me started to tremble underneath me. I jumped to the side just in time as she moved the ground and threw it towards me. I moved it out of the way with a wave of my hand. I looked at her; "Is that it?" I asked her. She said, "No, I'm just getting started; you little witch!" I lifted Claire and James up in the air and threw them as far away from me as I could. I didn't care of they lived or not. I just ran north I wasn't sure of where I was going but I needed to find Alana's grave. Using our bond I asked, "Damien, where was Alana buried?" Damien responded, "In an ancient burial ground north of the village why do you ask?" "I just need to find it is all I'll tell you since you won't tell me how you became a vampire." "I can't tell you because I don't honestly know okay?" He said the last bit with some spite. "Damien I didn't mean to offend you. I just need to know!" "It's okay. It just it annoys me when people ask me and I don't know. Anyway, how is the baby?" I said , "The baby's fine kicking lumps out of my kidneys though." I could hear him laugh at that. "Well, I can't wait to hold her when she's born." "What makes you think it will be a girl?" I asked him as I continued to run north. "Simple; every person that has ever been born from Alana's line has been female, so I'm convinced that you're carrying a girl." "Well, we will see. There is a chance it could be a boy you know." I said. "It's unlikely though." he said. "Anyway how are things at the castle?" "Going well! We're preparing for battle. We have to teach some people to use a sword but it's going well. Tell me, are you somewhere where you can lie down?" he asked me. "Why?" I asked, thoroughly confused. "Simple! It's been a while since we've been together and I'm very lonely." he said. I could here the mischief in his voice. I saw a cave up in front of me. "Hold on there's a cave ahead, I'll go in there." "Okay, I'm just getting into our room." he said. I went to the back of the cave. The floor was cold so I lay my cloak down and laid down on top of it. "Okay, I'm lying down." "Okay, close your eyes and just follow everything I say okay?" he said. "okay Damien but I can't see how you're going to do this." "Simple! Just close your eyes and just go with it. Okay?" I agreed and then I felt him enter my mind but it was different this time. It felt like he was running his hand down my body giving the bump a little rub as well. "Wow, she's getting big!" he said in my mind. He kissed me as he ran his hands down my body stopping where my legs meet. "You'll need to take your clothes off for me. I can only give you the sensations I can't actually touch you." I nodded and slipped out of my clothes and laid back down. I could feel him running his hands over my body kissing me on the lips I tired to kiss back but I wasn't sure if he could feel me but when he kissed me I knew he could! He slid his hands down my body I could feel him gently enter me. I moaned. This was a most unusual feeling. I couldn't actually feel him but the sensations he was giving me were as if he was making love to me. I screamed and convulsed in the bliss of my orgasm. I could feel Damien climax as well. "I wish you were with me." I said through our bond. "Me too! I miss you and I want you back here for the birth!" he said. "I hope this is all over by then" I said. I stood and got dressed. My legs were shaking from my orgasm. "How long do you think you will be?" Damien asked. "I don't know. Get your brother and the army ready to fight. I think there will be a war over this." "Okay, I will get everyone ready to fight." Damien said. I felt him leave my mind. I headed north. I found nothing for at least three days. Hunting for food was getting more and more difficult by the day as the baby was getting bigger. On the fourth night I came across a large gate. It was locked. I looked at it and make the sharp movement with my hands and the gate blasted open. It had started to get cold and snow had started to fall gently. I walked past the gates. There were rows upon rows of headstones. At the very back of the graveyard there was a small circle of stones with a headstone in the middle. I went over to it. It read: "Here lies her royal highness Alana gone but never forgotten 31st of October 1659 - 12th of November 1679" I looked at her gravestone she was only twenty when she was killed. As I placed my hand on the gravestone I felt a rush of air. I could see Damien and Leo standing near the stone circle. Damien shouted, "Claire, enough! Leave her alone!" I looked and Claire was now in the circle! Claire was throwing some sort of white energy at Alana. Both Damien and Leo were shouting at her. "No! She will pay for what she has done!" Claire shouted. Alana begged her, "Claire please. I.. I'm your sister." Claire threw her hands up and produced a shield that the men couldn't get through. Claire then conjured some sort of black energy. Before Claire delivered the final blow, Alana looked directly at me and shouted over to me "There is an other sister find her!" I could hear the men screaming just before I felt a rush of air. When I looked up Alana's ghost was looking at me. "What do you mean there's an other sister?" I asked. "There were three of us; Claire, Jessica, and myself." I felt my heart stop. "Jessica?" I asked. "Yes, do you know where to find her?" Alana asked. I nodded. "But what can she do?" I asked. "She alone knows everything. She knows how John and Thomas became who they are and how to defeat Claire. Jessica is my older sister." she said. "Are you sure she knows?" I asked. Alana nodded. "She is the one you seek!" she said as she disappeared in a puff of sliver. I thought for a few minutes. It was dangerous but I had to go back, I had no choice! I had to go back to where it all started. The Shadow That Binds Ch. 04 OK here it is chapter four a big thanks to my editor and to you the reader. * As soon as Alana's ghost disappeared I left the graveyard. I knew it would take me a long time to get back to where it started so I walked as fast as I could. The baby was getting bigger by the day and I knew it wouldn't be long until the baby was born. I could feel the baby move and kick me. Every time the baby kicked I felt a surge of pride. I placed my hand on my bump to try and settle the baby down. Nearly a week later I was approaching the village that I used to live in. There was no sign of James or Claire. I had to wonder where they were. I reached the edge of the town and I walked down by the river. I snuck up to the back of my old house. The lights were off in the kitchen. It didn't look like anyone was in. I broke open the kitchen door. footsteps came from the living room. The kitchen door was opened and the light was switched on. Grandfather he just stood there looking at me. "What on earth are you doing here?" he asked me. "I could ask you the same thing grandfather" I said with a laugh. He pulled me into a hug. "Wow! You're getting big. It won't be long now." "Yes and that's the problem." I said. "Did you find out anything?" he asked me. "Yes, is Jess here?" I asked. "She's sitting in the living room." He led me into the living room. Jess was sitting in one of the chairs next to the window. "Sara?!" she shouted, as she pulled me into a hug. When she noticed the bump she pulled away. "When did this happen and who is the father?" she asked. "I'm coming near the end of my pregnancy. The father is my mate Damien. You would know him as John." She looked at me "I don't know what you mean?" "Oh really? So your not Alana's older sister?" I asked. She went white. "How did you know?" she asked. "Alana told me and I guessed it was you" I said. "Yes, well Alana did always have a knack for getting me into trouble." she said. Grandfather looked at her. "You're the missing sister?" "Wait! You knew about this?" I asked. He nodded his head. I shouted at him, "You could have told me. It would have saved a lot of trouble you know!" "I didn't know that Jess was Alana's sister!" he said. I looked at her. "I need to know how do you get rid of her and where did vampires come from?" I asked. "Not here! We need to go somewhere where we can't be interrupted." "Where do you suggest?" I asked. "The castle! I know that when Claire tells James about me he will be here as soon as he can." she said. "Where are James and Claire?" I asked. "The last time we heard they were building an army to attack us." grandfather said. "Does Damien know?" I asked. "Not yet. I was coming to get Jess to get her out of James's reach. Let's go, we can talk over everything at the castle." he said. I nodded. We all filed out to the front of the house. There were two horses waiting for us. "Sara you come with me and Jess you take the other horse." No one argued with him. He climbed on to his horse I got on behind him. It took us a few hours to get back to the castle. I had fallen asleep behind grandfather. He woke me up when we got to the castle. He helped me off the horse as my pregnancy making it difficult for me to dismount. Damien came running out and hugged me. He said, "You're getting pale! You need to feed." I kissed him and didn't argue. Damien took my hand and we went up to our room. As soon as we had the door closed Damien had my clothes off. Laying on the bed he kissed me deeply sliding his tongue into my mouth he then trailed kisses down my chest to the bump that held our child. "It won't be long." he said, as he rubbed my belly. "Lets just hope we get this mess sorted out before our child is born." I said. Damien nodded he guided me to my hands and knees as he could get on top of me. He gently entered me. He gripped my hips and started to trust hard. I could feel him start to swell. I felt my orgasm approach and my fangs slid down. Damien bit down on my shoulder and drank from me. Then he slid from me and let me feed from him. We fell asleep in each others arms. A knock at the door woke us up. "Come in." Damien said. Father put his head in the door. "We need you both in the council hall as soon as possible." he said. "We will be down soon dad." I said. He came over gave me a kiss on the head. "How are you?" he asked. "Better now that I have had some rest and blood." I said. He placed his hand on my stomach. "I can't wait to see my grandchild." he said. "You're not the only one." I said with a smile. "We'll be down as soon as we get dressed." Damien said. As father left the room we quickly washed and dressed. Every one was on edge! I could see it in their eyes. I gave them a quick run down of what happened. The army was ready to fight. Leo stood next to me. Grandfather and Jess were sitting in the front row. I dismissed the council. "Jess we need to talk." I said simply. She nodded. We went into the library and sat down. Damien had to help me. Jess smiled, "How long?" she asked. "Any day now, I think." I said. Leo and grandfather smiled. "So to business! How do we get rid of Claire?" I asked. "You're straight to the point." she said. I nodded. "To get rid of her is easy! Getting past her powers is the difficult part." I looked at her, "Explain!" I said. Jess sighed, "You need to break her powers which isn't easy. But when you do there is a spell in the book of shadows that can kill her. It's called to kill a witch. It's the last spell that Alana put in the book." she said. "Okay, so where did vampires come from then since Damien can't remember?" I asked. Jess took a deep breath and looked at Damien. "When our village was attacked I saw everything. John and Thomas were kidnapped. I followed them. Both of them were force fed wolf's blood. Thomas escaped but John didn't. John was then force fed the essence of the creature's black shadow. I thought that he was dead. So I went back to the village. About two months later John turned up and that's when all the weird stuff happened. They would only eat raw meat. Then John started to drink animal blood. Finally he blooded someone as did Thomas. That's how the clans came to be. Alana fell in love with John, so did Claire. She met up with a werewolf who wanted to unseat Thomas. That's how the war started. Claire thinks that Alana betrayed her!" she said. The baby started to move and kick me making me wince. "Are you okay Sara?" Damien asked. "Yes it's just the baby kicking me. It seems to delight in doing that." I said. The baby moved down in my stomach. I was worried! I didn't want the baby to be born before I dealt with Claire. The door was nearly knocked off its hinges as dad almost ran through it. "We have a huge problem." he said. "Why, what's wrong?" I said. "Claire and James have an army built and they have massed on the northern hill ready to fight!" he said. I knew it was finally time for me to deal with James and Claire. The Shadow That Binds Ch. 05 oh here is chapter five dont yell at me about the ending there is two more chapters to go as always a huge thanks to my editor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   The men were rushing about getting organised. Within two hours Damien had them ready for battle. They all stood at the front of the castle ready to face the army that James and Claire had assembled. Damien grabbed me as I made my way out of the castle. "Where the hell do you think you are going?" he shouted at me. "Where do you think? I'm not going to stay in here and let them kill me!" "Tough! Get inside and stay there. You're in no fit state to go anywhere!" he said as he dragged me into the castle. I pulled away from him. "Are you forgetting who runs this clan?" I shouted at him. "No, but you forget that I'm your mate and I will do what I have to, to protect you." he shouted back. "I may be your mate but I'm fighting Claire whether you like it our not!" "No! You're not!" he shouted as he grabbed my arm and dragged me into my bedroom. "Stay in here until I come back for you!" he shouted as he slammed the door. I heard him lock the door. I screamed and kicked at the door, but it was no use. I went to the balcony. Damien and Leo were yelling at the troops getting them into line. James was with the army on the other side, but Claire was no where to be seen. I knew she would be lurking about somewhere and I knew I wasn't safe where I was. James yelled an order as did Damien and Leo. Both sides charged full pelt at each other. I had to get out of the room! I turned to the door and made a sharp movement with my hands. The door was blasted off its hinges. I ran quickly to the throne room. I still don't know, even to this day, what made me go there. But I did; and there sitting on my throne was Claire. "I was wondering where you were." I said "Bold as ever little one." she said. "So, what can I do for you Claire?" I asked. "Die!" she shouted at me. As she did she lunged at me from the throne. I pushed my hands up and Claire went flying backwards into the throne. "If it's a fight you want, then so be it, a fight you shall have!" she yelled at me. As she stood up a swirling black shadow started to appear around her body. I called on my powers and a mass of white light surrounded me. We both threw the energy field at each other at the same time. It sending us both flying. I landed hard on my back, which I was glad of! I didn't want to harm the baby. I stood as quickly as I could. Claire was already on her feet. She ran and I followed her.   She ran right into the room with the pentagram on the floor. She stood in the middle, and she again tried to conjure the black shadow. I dodged it with ease. I felt for my powers again. This time instead of the fire coming out of my hands it erupted from the floor in the shape of a pentagram. I manipulated the flame around my body and sent it straight towards Claire. She couldn't block it. I can still hear her screams to this day! But it wasn't enough to stop her she stood there. Her hair, body, and face badly burned from the flames. I knew I needed to get to the book of shadows, so I ran to the library. The book of shadows was sitting on a stand. I flipped it open I went straight to the back of the book. This spell wasn't easy I needed three drops of blood from Claire as well as her powers! Why is nothing easy? I could hear footsteps coming from behind me. There was only one way in or out of the library, and that was the door. Claire stepped through the door. I made a sharp movement with my hands and Claire went crashing down the stairs I ran to my room I was rummaging around in the chest of drawers. I knew that Damien kept a dagger in here encase of an emergency. Well, this definitely counted as an emergency, that's for sure. I found the dagger and slipped it into my dress so that Claire wouldn't see it. I went out to the balcony. The battle that was raging on the field in front of the castle was a cruel one, and that was putting it mildly. The werewolves had changed. There was a seemingly random mass of moving forms; and the forms were hacking and biting at anyone they could! The vampires had also changed but they were human looking. It wouldn't be long before Claire came looking for me, so I ran back to the throne room. As I reached the throne I felt a sharp pain in my back and I was sent flying into the throne. It splintered into a thousand pieces. I could feel the blood running down my back. "You didn't think I could do that, did you, little one?" Claire said. She was right of course. I didn't think she had that sort of power. I got to my feet and faced Claire. There, standing next to her, was a figure in black. I couldn't see its face, but I knew who it was. I prayed that she was on my side. I was transfixed on her. I ignored Claire. I didn't notice that Claire was lunging in for the kill. The shadowy figure glided across to me and shielded me from Claire. Then as I watched Claire scream in anger the figure entered my body. It was then I saw and understood everything. I took the dagger that I had hidden in my dress and ran forward and stabbed Claire. I only got her in the arm, but it was enough. I had her blood on it! Again she tried to stab me but I was protected by Alana. "How is this possible!" Claire was screaming at me. I looked at her, "Do you honestly think that after everything that you have done you would be protected?" I asked. I took her blood and cut my hand and mixed our blood. I could actually feel her blood surge through me like daggers trying to stab every inch of me. As it did the baby kicked me. I placed my hand on my stomach to try and clam the baby. I could feel the surge of power! I had her powers! It was now or never. I ran to the room with the pentagram. Claire followed me I expected that she would I just hoped that if I didn't survive that Damien would save the baby. I waited in the room with the pentagram. I found Damien through our bond. "Damien will you promise me something?" He replied "I'm busy at the moment cant this wait?" he said annoyed at the interruption. "No! It can't. Promise me that if anything happens to me that you will save the baby and raise it; please Damien promise me this!" I said. "Why are you saying this? We just killed James I think its over." he said. "For you yes, but I have to do something dangerous to get rid of Claire and I'm not sure if I will live." I said. "No! Let me deal with her." he said. I could feel his panic. "No you can't! Damien it's not your fault that you're a vampire, it's Claire's! I love you take care of our child." I said. Then I blocked him out as I needed to be focused for this. I dropped some of my blood at each of the points of the pentagram then stood in the middle next to the table Claire sauntered in. "So have you given up little one?" she asked. "I will never give my self up to someone like you!" I said. "Foolish to the last! Do you think that if you die I wont come after your baby?" she said with a grin on her face. " You won't! I won't let you just like Alana didn't let you hurt me." I said. Her eyes widened with shock. "Are you so foolish as to think that when we die we truly leave the ones we love?" I said. With a grin she started to growl. "You thought that by killing Alana and turning John that you would break their bond. But, there is something you never counted on." I said. "And what would that be?" she asked through clenched teeth. "The fact that if you truly love someone they never leave you; no matter what! Love is the only thing that survives death and you got pissed off because no one loved you. No one would remember you after your gone. I may die but at least you will go down with me!" I said. "If you die so does your child!" she said. "Wrong again Claire. My baby is old enough to breath on its own. It will live, but I can't say the same for you." She tried to lunge at me again, but Alana protected me. I opened the bond to Damien. " Damien I love you and I will always protect you and watch over our child!" I closed the bond before he could say anything, but I heard him scream at me not to do anything. I didn't listen I reached down into my powers and I called upon them! All the room started to glow white. I knew it was now or never. "Spirit of the witches rise course unseen across the skies' blood to blood I call to thee blood to blood destroy us three!" I saw the fear rise in Claire's face. "You don't know what you have done! You will kill us all!" she screamed. "That's the plan." I said. The room glowed brighter and brighter it washed over me I felt at peace for once. Claire was screaming in pain. Then there was almost nothing. I heard an almighty bang. The last thing I remember before blacking out was a sense of flying. Just before I succumbed to the blackness I felt my water break. The Shadow That Binds Ch. 06 The following chapter is the account of Damien: I slammed the door in Sara's face. I didn't like doing it but I had to protect her and our unborn baby which I knew was a girl. I ran to the main hall. Thomas was waiting for me. I could never get on to calling him Leo as far as I was concerned he was Thomas. "Are the troops ready?" I asked. "Yes we're just waiting for the last few men. Are you ready?" "I feel bad for treating Sara the way that I had to." I said. "Trust me; she'll get over it. She knows that you love her. Now, come on, we need to protect her!" Thomas said. I nodded my head and followed him out. My armour was strapped tight to me. It had been a very long time since I had needed to wear the armour and I had hoped that I would never have to wear it again. However, I needed to protect my mate and I wasn't going to let any scumbag near her. Thomas' men were in position. I ordered my men next to his. James had changed a lot! It was as if Claire was just animating him as his body looked like it was rotting. I looked up at Sara's window. I knew she was pissed off but I needed to keep her safe. She was everything to me. James and his shadow minions launched the first wave of attack on us. All of Thomas' men changed into their wolf forms and jumped at the throats of James' men. I felt my fangs slide down my gums and drew my sword. The wolves were the first wave as they couldn't control their rage. We were the second wave. Our blades were as deadly as they were beautiful. I headed strait for James and engaged him. In battle he was well skilled. But I was faster. He realised that he was in danger and kicked me in the stomach knocking the wind out of me. It gave him enough time to get away from me. I joined some wolves to help bring down one of the shadow creatures. It was strange; after hundreds of years of fighting the shadow creatures brought us together. I was certain that if Sara gets her way the shadow creatures would always bring us together. I missed my brother. The battle was long and fierce! I kept Sara isolated with my bond closed. I didn't want her to see the battle. It would be to much for her. The shadow creatures were being killed slowly. They didn't go down quickly that was for sure. I met James again in the middle of the field this time he didn't get away from me. It was a quick fight and he didn't last long. Just as I was about to kill him Sara opened our bond she asked me to look after our child; but I told her that James was almost killed as I said that I killed him by decapitation. Then it hit me! Claire was in the castle! I shouted for men to get into the castle. I told Sara that we would deal with Claire. As the men reached the castle it started to glow white and they couldn't enter. "Get back!" Thomas yelled at them. "What the hell is going on?" I shouted at him. "Sara is tapping into her full magic to get rid of Claire!" he said. "No!" Just as I said this Sara opened our bond. "Damien I love you and I will always protect you and watch over our child." Before I could scream at her not to do this she closed down the bond. The entire castle glowed a brilliant white. Thomas ordered everyone to run as fast as they could. He had to grab me by the armour and drag me away from the castle. We just reached the outlying forest. I turned and saw the most horrifying thing I have ever seen in my hundreds of years on this planet. The castle exploded with an unbelievable force that made us all throw our selves' on the floor of the forest. Tears flowed freely down my face as the realisation hit me that Sara was dead and it was a race against time to save our child. As I ran back to the castle the dust settled. She was under the rubble somewhere. I saw an arm sticking out from under the rubble. I cleared some bricks away but it wasn't Sara, it was Claire. She was dead. There was no doubt of that! Sara had done what she said she would. She killed Claire. I left the body as it wasn't my main concern. I started to dig under the rubble. I saw her black hair. I yelled to Thomas to help me move the bricks. I could see the blood in her hair. I turned her over when we got the bricks off. Thomas said, "We need to get the baby out John or it will die too." I just nodded. I didn't trust my voice. I looked at Sara. She looked so young, so full of life. Why didn't any of my mates live to see their child grow up? This would be the second one I would have to raise on my own. Thomas went to tell Matthew that Sara was dead. I could hear him wailing from across the field. I looked down at Sara again. I didn't see it at first I had to look again. I couldn't believe it, she opened her eyes. "Sara?!" I said hopefully. "It's me." she said. It was the single sweetest thing I had ever heard! She was alive! The Shadow That Binds Ch. 07 ok here it is the final chapter of the shadow that binds a huge thanks to my editor couldnt do it without you ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I was Flying and then "thud" my water was breaking. Then there was the first ripple of contraction and then black! When I woke; I was surprised that the contractions were stronger. There was a muffled sounds of people yelling. I hoped there hadn't been anyone in the castle as they would surely be dead. The bricks of the castle were being moved. I closed my eyes as the pain was becoming more intense. Someone above me moved the bricks off of me. I heard someone speak. It took me a few seconds to realise who it was. It was Leo! He was saying, "We need to get the baby out or it will die too." Drops of water fell on my face. I opened my eyes and saw that I had been turned over. "Sara?!" Damien asked. I looked at him. "It's me." I said. My voice was rough, probably from all the dust. "Thomas, she's alive!" Damien shouted as he sat me up. Dad and Leo ran over to us. Leo asked, "How is this possible?" I winced in pain as the contractions were becoming a lot stronger. "Sara what is it? Are you hurt?" dad asked. I shook my head, they all looked confused. "When the castle exploded my water broke the baby is coming!" I said. With that said, panic exploded! Damien lifted me up into his arms. They didn't know where they should take me as I had destroyed the castle and any medical supplies along with it. "We can't take her there its to far!" Damien shouted. "We don't have any choice it's the only place that she can give birth. If we take her to a human hospital they will either see her fangs or the baby's." Leo said. Dad said "He's right Damien we need to try and get her there if the baby comes in the mean time we will just have to deal with it!" "Also we will have pain medication if she needs it." Leo said. "Fine but I'm going with her!" Damien said. No one argued with him. I was lifted onto a horse I didn't care which one, I just wanted all of this to be over. I was wrapped in a blanket. Dad said "Sara what ever you do please don't push, it will hurt the baby. If you think it will come tell Damien to stop! We will be right behind you, don't be scared." Dad kissed my hand before Damien sped off. I wasn't paying attention to where we were going, I just knew he was going there at an enormous speed. I drifted in and out of consciousness the contractions woke me I was feeling the urge to push but I didn't. I knew the baby was close. "Damien the baby is close please." I begged him. "It's okay, we're nearly there. For just a few minutes please hold on, if you can." he said. I nodded. A few minutes later we came to an abrupt halt. Damien pulled me off the horse and ran inside with me. A worried voice came at us, "Damien, what happened I heard that your castle was destroyed is Sara okay?" It was grandfather. "Please, she's in labour with my child. We need help. Leo and the rest of your men should be behind us." Damien said. "This way!" grandfather said. Damien ran with me. I was placed on a bed and sat up. "Sara you need to stay awake if you can," grandfather said. Damien said, "She's lost a lot of blood." After saying that, something was pushed to my mouth. It was Damien's wrist. He had bitten into it. I drank from him. His blood surged through me giving me strength. I sat up. Everything was clearer now the contractions were coming thick and fast. Grandfather examined me and said: "She's fully dilated! Sara, you need to start pushing now!" I nodded. Damien sat behind me to help me. I squeezed his hand and started to push. Grandfather said, "Okay, the head's almost out." As he said this dad and Leo came in. "Okay, push Sara!" I pushed with all my strength. "The head is out. It's almost over. Just give me one last push." he said. As I did, I felt the baby pass out of me. There was now relief from the pain. The room filled with the cry of a baby. Damien kissed me in the head and hugged me from behind. There was only one thing I was interested in. "Is she okay?" I asked. "HE is fine!", grandfather said as he passed me my new-born baby. "HE?!" Damien nearly shouted. I opened the blanket that he had been wrapped in. It was defiantly a boy. I showed him to Damien. He said, "I have a son?" I thought he was going to faint. I looked around to my father as I cradled my son. "Why is he in shock dad?" "Because this is the first time in Alana's line that a male has been born!", he said with the worlds biggest grin. My son started to cry. I guessed he was hungry so I gently held him to my breast. Damien was still in shock. "How is this possible?" Everyone shrugged their shoulders. "Aren't you happy?" I asked. "Of course I am! Its just a shock." Damien said. I asked "Do you want to hold him?" He grinned and came out from behind me. I gently handed him our son. He cradled him close to him. I laid down and the day finally caught up with me. I fell asleep The sound of the baby crying woke me up. I looked around. I was in a large room. It was extravagantly decorated. Damien was holding our son and looking out of one of the windows. "Is he okay?" I asked. "He's fine. He probably needs to be fed but I didn't want to wake you as you've been through a lot. Here!" he handed me the baby and I held him close to me. "Where are we anyway?" I asked. "The lost palace. My brother insisted we take you here and am glad we did; as the baby would have died in the cold," "Are Claire and James both dead?" I asked. He said, "Yes they both are dead; we burned their bodies while you were sleeping. They will never hurt you again. There is one thing that I did want to ask. What did you mean when you said it wasn't my fault?" I sighed and burped our son and went to put him in the cot that was sitting beside the bed. Then I sat back down to face Damien and said; "Before the explosion I saw what really happened. I know why and how you became a vampire." Damien just looked at me intently. "Do you remember the attack on your village?" I asked. He just nodded his head. A tear ran down his face and I brushed it away. "You were brave as were your brother and father." I said. He took my hand and kissed it. I said "The reason you were attacked was because of Claire." "Claire?" Damien asked. I nodded. Just then there was a knock at the door. It was Leo. "Come in Leo! I'm glad you're here. You need to hear this too." I said. "Hear what?" he asked as he sat next to Damien. "Do you remember that you both were in love with Alana?" I asked. Both of them grinned. I didn't need to ask what they got up to. "Well, Claire was insanely jealous of her since you both loved her but you weren't interested in Claire. To get even she unleashed the shadow creatures on your village. They kidnapped you and took you into the shadow realm. Claire wasn't counting on that. They force fed you their blood to try and turn you into one of them, but they weren't counting on Alana." I said. They both looked at me. "Why is it that I remember some of this yet Damien doesn't remember anything?" Leo asked. "Simple. Alana got to you first. She saw what you were going through and fed you wolf blood. It was the only way to save you, but by the time that she got to you Damien the shadow blood had spread through you turning you. You became a shadow creature. She tried everything to turn you back. In the end she fed you her blood. It wasn't enough to fully restore you but enough to save you." I said. Damien closed his eyes. "She saved us both?" Leo asked. "Yes! She loved you both deeply and she didn't even know or care who the father of her child was." Damien's eyes snapped open. "Do you mean to say that, that child could have been Leo's?" he asked. I shook my head yes. He looked over at his son. "THAT child is definitely yours Damien." I said. "Yes, I know but even if she wasn't mine I still loved her and cared for her." he smiled as did Leo. Leo asked, "Answer me this, how did you survive the castle explosion? It's not that I didn't want you to." "The spell that I used was supposed to kill me. I was just as surprised to be alive as you were." They both looked at me with confusion on their faces. "It was Alana! The spell was designed to kill Claire, James and me; to destroy our sprits! But Alana stepped in front of me and let her soul be destroyed to save mine." I said. Both Damien and Leo were crying now. "She sacrificed her soul to save yours?" Leo asked. Through my tears I nodded yes. I wiped Damien's face "It's okay. She knew what she was doing. She has guided me through everything that has happened to me." I said. He took my hand and kissed it. There was another knock on the door and my dad popped his head through the door. "I was hoping that you were awake. How do you feel?" he asked. "I'm fine dad, thanks." He looked uneasy. "What's wrong dad?" He said, "Have the boys asked you yet?" "Asked me what?" I looked at them confused. Damien looked at Leo and then responded "The castle has been destroyed beyond repair and you have two options." Damien said. "And what would they be?" I asked. Damien said "We wander the world, raising our son not making a permanent home; or, we stay here with the wolves and make an alliance with them. They would become part of our clan." I thought it over. "Okay, I like the idea of the clan being one, but I have a better idea. Why don't we go back to the village where you grew up. Your mother is still waiting for you." I said. Damien frowned, "That's not possible!" he said. "But Leo sent me there and I spoke to her." I said. Damien looked at Leo. Leo said, "I did because I was counting on you being able to speak to the dead. Our mother was killed in the raid that claimed the whole village, but she bound her self to the village." "There is one thing that I don't understand. It is the legend you mother told me." I said. Damien asked, "Which one was that?" "The one about the three coming to save you in your darkest hour." I said. Leo said, "It has already come to pass." "It has? But you mother said that it didn't happen." I said. "Actually it did. You, the baby, and Alana saved us all. That's three by my count. Okay, when our village was attacked it was a massacre and everyone died, but think of what would have happened if Claire had of won! The whole world would be slaves to the shadows." Damien said. I had never thought of that. "Anyway, what do you think we should do then?" Leo asked. "Why don't we just stay here then because the only thing that was separating our clans was James and Claire. They are the ones that forced us apart." I said. Everyone nodded at that. And to think that it was shadows that bound our clans together after so many years of fighting. We were now one clan. And it stayed that way. When Matthew our eldest son, who I named after my father, was old enough to take care of the clan on his own, Damien and I left and went to wander the world. Then we settled in the little village Damien once called home. We had four more children, two boys and two girls which made Damien very happy. Leo visited us often. When he finally came to live with us having had his own family. Now as I look back I am so glad that I was pulled from the water all those years ago.