Chapter Thirteen

Christopher was put under a sleeping trance and Joseph had been sent out to find a feed for Christopher. He was becoming weaker and weaker and Christabela wanted to get some blood to him, not much, but just enough to keep him going. Lance had taken Natasha back upstairs for her to get some rest, for he was taking her out at night fall to teach her how to feed on her own for the first time.

Christabela sat nervously in her chair waiting as the three ancients got comfortable on the couch directly across from her. Once Christopher had been put under his trance, they had moved up to the main floor to the library where the servants brought them wine and cheese to snack on. With their stomachs filled, McKeer announced it was time to talk and Christabela gathered her thoughts of what they wanted to hear as she waited for them to get situated.

Stop trying to come up with what to say and speak from your heart Christabela.

The words had come from Laurent, and Christabela knew that she was right, lies would get her nowhere and McKeer would see through them instantly. She glanced up seeing all eyes on her and took in a deep breath ready to begin.

"My father was an evil man, but Christopher was never like him. I would often sneak away at times while growing up and would sit in the fields behind the castle listening to his thoughts. Mahared taught me so much about my mother and showed me what she was like that I felt I knew her.......that she was right with me all the time. Listening to Christopher, he reminded me so much of her and there were so many times I wanted to come back home and be with him, to be a part of the coven I belonged to, but I knew the time wasn't right. Something happened to Christopher over the past couple of years and I never could figure out why he'd turned so evil, and what had brought such darkness to him, until I looked into his eyes for the first time."

The three ancients exchanged a look between them and Christabela closed her eyes reliving the night she had stepped into the club for the first time. Christopher had spotted her from across the club and instantly tried to reach her, but she'd closed herself off to him. Their eyes locked and the minute the blue met brown she knew why he'd fallen to the dark force.

She shuddered reliving that moment and her eyes flew open as she looked up watching the smile that smoothed across McKeers face.

"He's my father."

McKeer slowly nodded and stood from the couch moving across to Christabela where he took her hand and pulled her from her chair.

"Don't stop Christabela. Keep going....you hold the answers."

A tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away wanting to get the truth out of her, digging deep through every emotion only she could feel, and letting all the truth be know.

"He was so determined to get revenge on Mahared and my mother that even in his death he could not rest, could not let the past remain history and he found his next life in Christopher."

Her body began to grow weak from her confessions and more tears spilled from her eyes as she closed them, leaning into the opened arms of McKeer. Laurent was soon at their side wrapping her arms around the two of them and looking into McKeers eyes speaking to him silently.

"Enough....let the child alone. She's dealt with too much upon her return."

McKeer knew he couldn't give in, couldn't make her stop. She had to get out of her what she knew so she could be strong enough to win the battle he knew was coming. He feared Christabela was in more danger than he realised and until she revealed the truth and made herself stronger no power in the world could help her.

Pushing her away from him, his gentle hands grasped her shoulders and he ducked his head meeting her eye to eye.

"Listen to me Bela, the Festival is soon and your father will rule the Sabat and rein havoc on the dark world if you don't stop him. Christopher is still alive and well, but you have to bring him back, you have......"

"HOW?" she yelled, moving across the room and placing her hands on her temples feeling the darkness trying to consume her.

"How do I STOP him McKeer? I have been sheltered all of these centuries, protected from the evil that is now consuming me and you expect me to put a stop to a force so powerful that he managed to bring himself back to our world? HOW MCKEER?"

She dropped to her knees, her face scrunching in pain as loud, screeching sounds echoed through her mind driving her on the brink of insanity. Her blue eyes turned a smokey white and traces of red began to tint her eyes as her fangs extended and darkness drifted all around her.

"Oh Lord of the darkness look what has happened. Do something McKeer, help her."

Laurent cried out as she dropped to her knees next to Christabela wrapping her tightly in her arms.

"Hold her down, tie her, and if you must then drive stakes through her to stop her, but don't let her leave this room." McKeer cried "The child has never drifted into that stage of the dark world before and Petradon will have her for sure if we don't get her back."

With a fling of his cape, he hurriedly made his way to the door and vanishing from the room, left his voice echoing as he disappeared.

Japheth, stop Joseph from feeding Christopher. His powers are being restored and he's slipping into Christabelas mind.

In an instant Japheth had disappeared leaving Laurent to tend to Christabela.

**

Something was wrong very wrong, and Lance sat straight up in bed looking over to Natasha who laid next to him sleeping peacefully. Calling out to Christabela, he jumped from the bed as a mixture of evil voices rang through his mind speaking jumbled sentences in latin, confusing him, and he ran to the balcony over looking the dark foyer and jumped to the marble floor below, running to the library and throwing open the doors.

His mind was in a whirl wind and he couldn't think clearly as he searched the room for Christabela. Laurent stood in the center of the room, wind gusting around her as windows blew open and there in front of her against the wall was Christabela, her feet floating inches from the floor and her eyes glowing a crimson red with fangs extended and her hands up in front of her ready to strike at anything that dared near her.

Calling her name, he couldn't break through to her, and suddenly she was on him digging her nails into the flesh of his arms and sinking her teeth into his neck sucking hungrily and forcefully, bringing his blood to the surface and drinking every drop that she could.

Justin and Joseph appeared from no where and each vampire grabbed a hold of her trying to pull her away.

Laurent threw her hands into the air calling to the powers of the other ancients for help.

"Hurry boys.....she'll kill him if she doesn't stop."