#Chloe beale | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

tiny-maus-boots · 2 days

Text

Darkest of Nights pt 21

A/N: thank you thank you always to @chloes-yellow-cup for always doing the thing and @kimmania for listening to endless hcs.

Beca

“Are you sure you wish to do this, Little Necromancer?”

Beca looked up at Chloe's dad and flapped her hands under her arm pits in an attempt to dry the copious moisture gathering as they waited for Cahira to let them know the rest of the vampires had arrived. At least. The ones brave enough to accept Beca's invitation to speak.

“What? Face a few hundred vampires that would probably like nothing more than to burn me at the stake?”

He gave a rumble of a grunt and stroked his braided beard thoughtfully. She could tell he wasn't as afraid of her anymore which was a plus. Probably. Maybe.

“Yes.”

Beca shrugged and finally settled for a meandering anxious pace around the room. She really wished Chloe and Aubrey were there with her now but they had gone to check on defenses. She was pretty sure that was an intentional move to give her time alone with Chloe's parents. At least for the moment.

How could she face hundreds of vampires if she couldn't handle facing just this one? Granted it might be easier if she hadn’t just banged his daughter like a Salvation Army drum.

Okay who was she kidding? She was definitely the drum. This time. Next time she had serious plans to be the one doing the banging. Lots and lots of banging.

Heat rose to her cheeks at Einar's intent gaze and she suddenly wondered if mind reading was a vampiric gift. If so she was screwed.

“I'm sure.”

“May I ask why, Little Necromancer?”

She had to smile at that. There could be worse nicknames.

“Because, Big Guy, I took something from them and I should explain myself.”

“You mean apologize.”

Beca thought about that. There was expectation in his tone and nearly imperceptible shift of his attention that was meant to intimidate. The weight of his age and power flexed around her, making her bones ache. It was impressive and would have worked maybe a month ago.

But she had seen some shit since then. She had done some shit since then. And she knew who she was now. Love hummed through her bond and she stopped her pacing and faced him directly, unafraid. She didn't bother to call up her power to push back, it wasn't necessary. Her conviction that she had done the right thing was enough to straighten her spine.

“I did what I did to save Aubrey. I'm not going to apologize for that. If they don't like it, tough tits. All I can do is explain how dire it was and hope they'll respect that.”

“Respect or fear?”

It was a valid question and she gave herself a moment to honestly answer without her usual sarcasm.

“If I wanted them to fear me I wouldn't bother to explain why I had to do what I did. I didn't want to hurt anyone but to protect or save Aubrey and Chloe I will be ruthless if I have to.”

Einar's power receded in a slow pull and she felt her spine release tension it had been holding. The door opened and Cahira stepped in with a brow raised in question.

“Husband?”

“There is no lie in her words. The Necromancer speaks truly. She meant only to save the Queen.”

“And?”

Beca looked back and forth between them in confusion. She wasn't entirely certain what was happening but Einar let out a great sigh and slumped his shoulders in resignation.

“I'm sorry I doubted you, Wife, moon of my heart, she who is beauty, grace and wisdom. I am a turd.”

Cahira's lips curled into a satisfied grin and she held out an impatient hand until Einar fished a bronze coin out of his pocket and slapped it into her hand.

“Thank you, Husband.” Cahira tugged gently on Einar's beard until he bowed his tall frame to meet her lips in a soft kiss. She released him and faced Beca. “Do close your mouth dear, they'll think you're damaged.”

Beca's mouth snapped closed with a click and she blinked several times trying to process what she had witnessed.

“Okay wait. What's happening right now?”

“Oh this?” She held up the coin and laughed. “Einar and I have been winning this back from each other for a thousand years. A game of ours.”

“And you make him say that every time??”

“You should hear what I have to say when he wins.”

Her laugh was musical and light and Beca was pretty sure Chloe’s dad had just fallen in love with her all over again if his expression was any indication. She could see where Chloe got it from.

These were not the vampires she understood. These were real people that loved and laughed. They weren't monsters. And neither were any of the people she needed to address. They were just people. Powerful people with the abilty to do alarming and fucked up things. But still capable of being so much more than the things that go bump in the night.

“Wow. Okay. So are the vamps all here?”

“They are. Are you ready to address them?”

“I guess. I mean. Yeah. Yes. Yes I'm ready.”

“Come, Beca. Einar and I will be by your side. Chloe and the Queen will be back shortly. Unless you would prefer to wait?”

She wanted to wait. If only for the support she knew she would have. Beca took a deep breath and shook her head. No. She needed to do this herself. Besides who was going to give her lip with the Big Guy looming over her shoulder?

“Let's do this.”

Something glittered in Cahira's eyes. Something like…pride? Beca wasn't sure but she felt like she was doing the right thing. Einar opened the door in the far wall and gestured for her to go first. If she expected a hallway or a buffer between herself and the other vampires she was disappointed.

Beca found herself on a raised platform with more vampires than she had expected staring up at her. Some with curiosity, some with hostility, most with barely concealed fear.

“Oh boy.”

She looked back at Chloe's parents nervously then back to the waiting mass. She brought one hand up in a tentative wave and seriously reconsidered her choices the last five minutes.

“Hey. So, I'm Beca.”

There was nothing. Absolute dead silence. They stared at her and she stared at them. Neither one was sure who was the predator and who was the prey. She sighed heavily and the vampires closest to the platform eased back.

“Okay this…this isn't going to work.” She walked to the edge of the platform and dropped the few feet to be on their level. “Look, guys, you don't have to be afraid of me. I don't want to hurt anyone here.”

Some skittered back. A few held their ground. One pushed forward with mistrust blazing in her almond shaped eyes. Beca held her ground and waited for the unmistakable swirl of power to crest over her as Einar's had done but it never came. Or rather, it wasn't as expected.

Power lapped up at her, batting gently like a gentle wave. The trailing edge of it tried to stick and cling to her, trying to find a way to overwhelm and influence her but it was too weak and crumbled away like sand with just the slightest push back from her.

Beca frowned when the woman backed up several paces in fear. A few of the nearest vampires that had stood their ground shifted away. She was getting nowhere and fast.

“I don't want to hurt you.”

Repeating it wasn’t likely to change their minds and she realized it.

“You have already done so, Necromancer.”

She looked for the voice in the crowd that had spoken. Bodies parted to allow a vampire in a heavy cloak to limp forward in an awkward shuffle. He was ancient. Maybe even older than Aubrey but there was something wrong with him.

Her head tipped to the side and she reached up to push the hood of the cloak down. Wisps of brittle white hair fell from an already nearly bald pate. Pale waxy skin stretched translucently over high planed cheekbones and a strong jaw. If she had thought the vampires were scared of her, they were absolutely terrified of this one.

Whispers of verskret hissed through the crowd as they backed even further away. She knew that word. Cursed.

“Who are you?”

“You may call me Athan. Do you deny what you have done, Necromancer?”

Beca was fascinated by the power she could feel seeping from him without even conscious effort. But none of it was directed at her.

“No. I did that. I took from all of you and I would do it again if I had to. Not because I wanted to hurt anyone but because the need was seriously fucking desperate.”

“And what could you have so desperately needed with all of us?”

“To heal me. And believe me it was out of desperate need. True death was upon me, I was past the point of healing myself.”

Beca had been so drawn by the vampire in front of her she hadn’t even noticed Aubrey and Chloe’s appearance. A cool hand closed lightly around her wrist and graceful fingers twined loosely with her own.

Chloe's simple touch grounded her and she shook away the thrall of power. Athan's gaze sharpened on her but he didn't push his power. He simply stood there assessing her. His soft hazel eyes drifted away from Beca and over to Aubrey.

“And what could have brought one such as yourself to the brink of death, My Queen?”

Chloe stepped forward, her hand still clasped with Beca's. “The sun, Athan. After full submersion and fresh blood she was still burning from the inside out.”

There were hushed whispers and soft hisses of remembered pain at Chloe's description. The sun was a foe every vampire feared more than anything else. Even curses and necromancers. Athan turned back to look at Beca again, more speculative than before.

“Why would you do that?”

“A lot of reasons. I think Aubrey is necessary in breaking the Council. I think she is honorable and genuinely hates the system of abuse we all suffer under and can make it better. But mostly just because I love her.”

Beca turned her attention to Aubrey and held out her free hand which the blonde took without hesitation. Power pulsed through the room in time with her heart beat and Athan brought a withered hand to his chest with a staggered step forward.

Her power curled around him and caressed his aura making Athan gasp drop to his knees. He looked up at her and reached a trembling hand to her and then pulled it back fearfully and pulled up his hood to hide away from her.

“If what you say is true, and I now believe that it is, then I understand. So should we all.”

He started to ease back into the crowd and Beca felt compelled to stop him. Her magic stretched out to him again wanting to explore and understand his condition.

“Wait! Please don't go.”

The aged vampire turned his head but she couldn’t see his face in the depths of the hood.

“If you think to break this curse, you cannot. Many have tried, all have failed.”

He turned away and slipped through the ranks and this time Beca let him. Now wasn't the time for that but she made a mental note to talk to Chloe and Aubrey about it later.

Vampires stared at her and she stared back. There wasn't much more she could say. It was up to them now, but she suspected Athan's opinion would go a long way in her favor.

“So…we good?”

There wasn't a resounding cheer of support but she didn't expect there to be. It was enough that many of them nodded agreement. Beca let out a deep sigh of relief and looked gratefully back at Chloe when arms slipped around her waist.

“Tough crowd.”

“Hm.”

“This isn't settled yet is it?”

The vampire gave a slight shake of her head, sending soft red curls tumbling over her shoulder.

“No but we don't have time to coddle them. If we survive what's coming we can try again. For now, leave them to Aubrey and come with me.”

“Okay. Where are we going?”

“To make out, silly.”

Now that was a plan she could get behind. Beca gave their blonde a glance and found her already addressing questions from some of the vampires assembled. Aubrey turned her head and caught her gaze with a quick wink.

“You sure we shouldn't stay and help?”

“Nah, she'll meet us at the garage in a few. Right now I wanna be on you.”

“Well I do hate to disappoint the ladies so I'm in. Let's go.”

#beca mitchell #chloe beale #aubrey posen #pitch perfect au #pitch perfect #triple treble #vampires #necromancer #maus writes

26 notes · View notes