Broken (The Captive #5.5)(63)
The woman that had just spoken with Camille staggered backward, her hands clawed at her chest and the arrow protruding from there. Shouts reverberated through the village, Genny's mind spun as it tried to take everything in.
The whistle of more arrows soaring into the air was nearly drowned out by the growing screams of the villagers. A glow began to light the darkening sky as the first flames shot into the air from the direction of where Felix's hut stood. The scent of smoke drifted to her, she spotted the first curling tendrils of it rising into the air. She had no idea what was going on, but she did know that they had to get out of here, now.
She lunged toward Camille but Arturo grabbed hold of her arm and yanked her back. "My sister!" she screamed. She clawed at his restraining hand as at least a hundred more arrows descended from the sky again.
"You are my concern," Arturo replied stonily. He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off the ground.
Genny screamed in fury, she kicked savagely at him but even as he was spinning her around, more flames were erupting from the direction they had walked here from. They were pinned in between the flames and the arrows. Arturo dropped her on the ground, and pulling her beneath him, he bent over her while arrows rained down upon them. Screams of suffering and confusion tore through the dwindling day, she watched the feet of the vampires racing around them from under Arturo's arm. Bile surged up her throat when a child fell beside her, his eyes were open wide, his hands twitched on the ground as the life faded from his gaze.
Arturo rose over her and pulled her back to her feet. Her attention was torn away from the child by the arrows protruding from Arturo's shoulder and back, arrows that would have hit her if it hadn't been for him. She lurched forward to try and help him but he shoved her hands aside and attempted to grab hold of her again. Though she was concerned about him, her primary concern was for her sister and if he caught her again he would try to keep her away from Camille.
Spinning away from him, she shoved past the crowd of vampires trying to flee in the other direction. Bodies bounced and shoved against her as she fought her way through the crowd. The Watchmen began to bellow orders to the panicking vampires but no one seemed to be paying them any attention as they fled heedlessly away from the fires. Through the chaos of retreating vampires, the growing plumes of smoke, and the encroaching flames shooting into the air, she spotted Camille with one of the children.
"Camille!" she screamed as she heedlessly shoved another vampire out of her way.
Camille's frightened gaze met hers as the first figures began to emerge from amongst the huts and smoke that obscured the view of the forest. Bows were in most of their hands but a few were holding torches that they tossed onto the roofs of the huts as they moved. Her confusion continued to mount when she recognized some of the faces amongst the trees.
Humans, she realized, from the nearby village. But why were they here, why were they doing this?
She didn't have time to ponder that question though. She was almost to Camille's side when the sound of more arrows being released filled the air.
***
Atticus barely heard a word his father was saying as he prattled on about details of a wedding that was never going to take place. It took everything he had not to tap his fingers on the table but he was doing his best to play the role of compliant son. Appearing impatient or uncaring right now would not fit that role.
"Silas says the manor that he is giving to you for a wedding gift is nearly completed," his father said.
"That's good," he muttered as he stared at the slit of a window in the wall.
"It will be a fine manor."
"I'm sure it will." Though he didn't plan to ever see it. A smile tugged at his lips as his thoughts drifted to a life with Genny free of the rules and restrictions that they both lived under in this world, a life where they would be free to raise a family together.
"There is also the matter of the next Council meeting." An uneasy feeling began to coil through Atticus's belly. "It will be right after your wedding." He pressed his palms flat against the table and though he knew that his father continued to speak he barely heard a word the man said. "I think it would be best if you brought your new bride with you." Atticus rose from his chair and approached the window. "It would be good to allow The Council to see that you are a united front. To show them all that the two most powerful vampire families have joined and that we are not to be messed with."
His gaze searched the horizon but he saw nothing unusual amongst the surrounding landscape. Even still a growing sense of impending doom built within him. "I have to go," he said abruptly and turned away from his father.
"I am not done speaking!" his father barked. His father moved swiftly away from the table to try and intercept him but Atticus was already at the door. He threw it open and ran down the hall. "Atticus! You are not to leave here until I am through speaking with you!"
There was something about the tone of his father's booming voice that caused him to turn while in the middle of descending the stairs. His father's eyes were almost frantic as he leaned over the upper railing to look down at him. Full-blown panic hit him as realization slid through him; he hadn't been called here today because of the wedding.
Genny. He knew instantly that he had to get to her, now.
Turning away from his father, his feet never touched the last twelve steps as he leapt off the stairs and hit the ground running. The power of Genny's blood, and his mother's strong bloodline, pulsed through his veins. He became as fleeting as a shadow as he raced across the manor grounds.