Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction from the author's imagination. The story and its characters are products of the author. Any similarities to other stories or characters are purely coincidental. Any similarities of characters to persons living or dead are entirely coincidental. This story contains homosexual themes, if that offends you or it is illegal for you to read such material, read no further. The author retains all rights to this story. Do not reproduce or post this story on other sites without the author's permission.
Author's Note: This is the final installment of this story for now. I guess I'm ending this 'part'. This part of the story has been told, but many doors have been left open (at least in my mind). I can't decide where exactly to go from here, whether it's time for some flashbacks about Jake or if I continue where this part will end. We'll see, I hope you have all enjoyed what has been written so far. Also, I have ideas for other stories that exist in the world I have created in this story, and I'm thinking of doing a 'remix' of this story to improve what it might be lacking. I will definately do this if I continue the story. I'm also working on a couple other stories that are not vampire ones. Thank you to all of those who have sent me feedback. It means the world to me!!! Comments, and all that are still welcome at danielt315@gmail.com. Love ya all! - an
Chapter 15
Ryan looked flustered for a moment, then furious. "It's too late, Count!"
"We'll see about that," Jake said, stepping further into the room towards the entrance from the hall. Jake had entered the mansion through a secret passage only he knew about. It led him directly to his study. He sent Tristan a mental message reassuring him. Ryan had raised his gun and pointed it at Tristan.
"Don't be foolish," Jake said coolly. "You can't win this one."
Just then, someone flew through the door from the hall and tackled Jake. His gun went flying as Paul landed on top of him, bearing his fangs. Jake was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered and threw Paul off and leapt to his feet. Paul slammed into the ceiling before falling back to the ground and hopping back to his feet. Jake drew his sword as Ryan and Paul both drew their swords and rushed at him. Tristan watched helplessly as both Paul and Ryan started swinging their swords at Jake. Jake's body twisted and bent like there were no bones in his body. He leapt over his opponents' swords when they swung low. Metallic clangs echoed through the room as Jake blocked every swing of Ryan and Paul's swords. His arms looked like blurs to Tristan as Jake lashed out with his swords at his opponents.
His opponents backed Jake into a corner, he blocked a swing from Paul and leapt back, planting his feet on the wall before launching forward, flipping in the air to kick Ryan in the chest as his sword clashed again with Paul's. Ryan flew across the room, slamming into a bookcase, breaking it and causing books to tumble everywhere. Paul lashed out again with twice the fury as before. Ryan lay stunned across the room but recovered.
When Ryan got up, however, he didn't come back to fight with Jake, he ran towards the couch where Tristan lay, his sword abandoned among the books. He pounced on top of Tristan and sank his fangs into the helpless man's neck as Jake's sword clashed with Paul's again. Jake bellowed in rage but knew he couldn't do anything to help Tristan as long as Paul was up and swinging. Boiling with rage, Jake went on the offensive against Paul forcing him to back up into a wall. Paul tried to escape, but Jake kept him trapped. In desperation, he lashed out at Jake's midsection. Jake leapt over the sword and brought his own across Paul's throat, beheading him. Without hesitation, he leapt to where Ryan was on Tristan, and yanked him off. Ryan looked at him with blood dribbling down his chin and started to laugh. He stopped as Jake's hand around his throat closed, crushing it and snapping the bones. He buried his sword in Ryan's heart before tossing the body, sword and all, across the room. It hit the wall, cracking the plaster, and then landed on top of Paul's headless body.
Jake looked down at Tristan. He realized instantly that Tristan was in bad shape and that he had lost a lot of blood. He quickly drew his dagger and cut the bonds and gag from him. He pierced his finger and let the blood drip on Tristan's neck heal the puncture wounds. Jake realized that it wasn't enough, that he had lost too much blood. "Tristan, you need to hold on. You need to answer a question."
Tristan stirred and moaned.
"Tristan," Jake said, fear in his voice. "Do you want to live? There is only one way."
Tristan moaned again and seemed to be losing the battle.
"Tristan!" Jake shouted. He continued in a whisper, I don't want to lose you too."
Jake tried to rouse Tristan, and he probed his mind to try and stir him as well. His voice shook and grew loud as he spoke again. "Tristan... tell me now if you want to be what I am!"
Tristan's eyes opened for a moment as he looked at Jake, "Yes, if it means I'm with you. I want to live."
Jake bit his wrist and held it to Tristan's lips. "Drink, Tristan; drink and live."
Tristan did drink, and the effects were instant. As the blood rushed into his system, he became more alive and tried to drink more from Jake. Also with the blood came memories from Jake. Tristan saw Jake's life through Jake's eyes. The last images were of him. He felt the way Jake felt for him—he realized that Jake cared for him more than he had cared for anyone in a long time. Jake loved Tristan. Jake cut him off when he knew he had enough and the memories ceased as well. The wounds on Tristan's neck vanished completely as did the wound on Jake's wrist.
Tristan looked into Jake's eyes and then leaned up and kissed Jake. Jake returned the kiss. Tristan then laid back and fell into sleep. Jake breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Tristan wasn't going to die, that he wasn't going to lose yet another person he cared for.
Suddenly, Jake flinched as he felt a presence in the room. He looked up and standing in his study doorway was a tall, pale-skinned man with shoulder-length black hair and hollow gray eyes. His slender frame was dressed in a black coat over black clothing. His facial features were sharp and well-defined. He was stunning and elegant.
"Touching," he said. "Now it's time for Tristan to go with me."
"What do you want with him, Zalmon?" Jake said, rising to his feet to face the man.
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Jaakko?" Zalmon teased. "Don't you realize who he is?"
"The descendent of Nikolai Chavdar," Jake said. "You killed many of his ancestors, he'll never join you!"
Zalmon smiled maliciously, "Who said anything about him joining me or staying alive for that matter? Don't you realize what you have done by turning him? His blood is more powerful than any we have ever known! Completely drain the source and add that to already powerful blood strain like my own and you would get..."
"Impossible," Jake said.
"Is it?" Zalmon asked. "Imagine, Jaakko, an indestructible vampire. His blood mixed with mine will make me that. No one will be able to stop me. Come, Jaakko, can't you see? Your only option is to join me!"
"Never!" Jake bellowed. "I'll kill you before you lay a hand on Tristan."
Jake leapt at Zalmon and pinned him to the ground. He growled as he bared his fangs.
Zalmon laughed, "Come on, old friend, you can't beat me!" With that, he threw Jake across the room. Jake slammed into the wall and slid down. He recovered quickly, leaping to his sword and pulling it from Ryan's body and flew at Zalmon. Did a major back flip to avoid Jake's first swing, as he landed; he pulled his own sword and brought it up just in time to block Jake's second swing. The fight was intense, Swords clanged and clashed as the two leapt around the room. Jake managed to land a kick against Zalmon, sending him flying into the door to his bedroom, shattering the wood. Zalmon recovered and caught Jake as Jake attempted to take advantage; Zalmon knocked Jake into a wall, smashing the plaster.
Zalmon rushed to strike at Jake, but Jake leapt over Zalmon, bringing his sword down, slicing through Zalmon's clothes and drawing blood from his back. Zalmon roared with rage and turned rapidly to attack Jake. Jake had to strain to keep up with Zalmon as he leapt around and struck at him.
Jake was weakened by his fight with Ryan and Paul and from the blood loss from feeding Tristan. So despite his efforts, Jake was hit as Zalmon swung wildly and leapt around, pushing Jake back against a wall. He blocked Zalmon's swing, but Zalmon twisted his sword in a tight circle and knocked Jake's arm enough to make him lose his grip, Zalmon's swords sliced into Jake's shoulder a split second later. Jake was hit badly. Zalmon's sword connected with the same place he had been wounded the night before and the sword struck hard. His clothes were ripped and blood was pouring in large quantities from the big wound. Jake groaned and staggered back. He tried to fight with his one arm, but Zalmon was far too strong and he was losing blood far too fast for his already blood-deprived body. Zalmon knocked the sword from Jake's hand and kicked Jake over onto his back and stood over him with his sword at Jake's throat. Blood was still dripping from Zalmon's back, but not in the amount that it poured from Jake's shoulder.
"Join me!" Zalmon said.
"Never!" Jake cried with what strength he could muster. He looked up and saw he was in front of the couch and off to the side near the windows. He could see Tristan's angelic face as he lay on the couch, sleeping.
"Then you will die!" Zalmon hissed as he raised his sword. As he was about to bring it down, he was distracted by one of the large windows further down the wall shattering inward into a million pieces.
Chapter 16
Tristan woke as the window shattered. He looked up to see a strange man standing over Jake with a sword. Both were looking towards the window which was partially hidden from his view by the back of the couch. Tristan tried to get up, but found that he was too weak to move. He looked for what had broken the window, but couldn't find anything.
Suddenly, Tristan saw a figure fly through the window and land among the broken glass. He was of medium height and muscular with long brown hair and deep brown eyes that seemed to glow. The large black cloak he wore rustled slightly. His face looked like it had been carved from stone. It was pale, but hauntingly beautiful. Tristan could see a rage flash in his eyes as he looked at the man standing over Zalmon and Tristan could feel the power radiating from him. It made him terrifying and even more beautiful. He walked with a confidence and grace that Tristan had never seen before. He strode over to where the man stood over Jake and struck out and grabbed him by the neck. He lifted him off his feet and the man dropped his sword. Jake was staring up in astonishment. The brown haired man sneered at the man he held in his hand before he struck out with his other hand. His hand penetrated the man's chest and pulled from it the man's heart. He tossed it out the window. The man he held looked shocked and then faded. The man holding him appeared to break him in half before throwing his body out of the window. He wiped his bloody hand on his cloak before kneeling down by Jake.
"My Lord Daniel!" Jake exclaimed weakly. "We thought you dead!"
"Easy, my son," Daniel said and he bit his own wrist and applied the blood to Jake's wound before allowing Jake a drink of it. Jake's wound healed over almost instantly. Jake was flooded with visions and memories like Tristan had been. As Daniel pulled his arm away, Jake was able to sit up and look at the man he had called Daniel. He then looked over to Tristan to check on him.
"He is unharmed," Daniel said. "You did well."
Tristan tried to move again but was still too weak. "What's going on? Who are you? Who was he?" His eyes looked towards the window.
Jake started to speak, but Daniel cut him off. His voice was deep and calm and his voice carried the power that radiated from him. His accent was unlike anything Tristan had heard, but it was soothing and clear. "I, young man, am Daniel, sire of Marek, and grand sire of Jaakko here. The other man was Zalmon. As for what is going on, I believe we just ended the war that has plagued our kind for far too long and you have become one of us."
Tristan nodded but didn't know what to say. Jake spoke up, "sir, all of us had thought you were long gone. You haven't appeared in nearly three hundred years."
Daniel smiled, "my son, you must understand that when you get to be as old as I am, there are more important things than being among people. I live a quiet life now; I rest most of the time. I watch the world though, and when I heard about Tristan here, I felt the need to come and make sure he remained safe.
"Oh, and to answer your question," Daniel said, looking at Tristan and grinning. "I'm nearly two-thousand five-hundred years old."
"He is the oldest living vampire, by a long ways," Jake added before turning to ask Daniel another question. "Why is Tristan so important?"
"Because what Zalmon said is true," Daniel said. "Tristan has blood more powerful than any other than my own. If Zalmon were to drink Tristan dry, the combination of the blood would make him so powerful not even I could have stopped him. I couldn't allow Zalmon to destroy everything we stand for."
"But shouldn't I die too?" Tristan asked, "If my blood is so dangerous."
Daniel shook his head, his long hair swinging around his head. "It's not dangerous unless used for wrong. And it would have been the combination of your blood and Zalmon's that would have made a vampire more powerful than I. Your blood alone makes you a very powerful vampire, but not indestructible. Trust me; you will be quite safe with Jaakko at your side. He will show you the way, and if ever a threat arises that Jaakko and you can't handle, I will return."
"You aren't staying?" Jake asked as Daniel moved towards the window. Jake followed him.
"No," Daniel said. "I quite like my life right now. And as far as anyone else is concerned, I was never here and you, Jaakko, killed Zalmon."
Jake looked confused, but Daniel stepped up and embraced him. "It will all be okay, Jaakko. You'll see. Now, you have Tristan to love and take care of. If you two ever need me, I will return."
With that, he broke his embrace of Jake and bowed to Tristan before leaping out of the window into the sky which showed the first hint of a dawn still a couple hours off.
Chapter 17:
Jake sat in his dining room among the numerous guests in his home. A week had passed since Zalmon was killed and around the world his supporters either surrendered or were destroyed. Many of the vampire elite including the council had traveled to Jake's estate to celebrate the end of the war that had raged for a century and nearly brought them to destruction.
Jake's mansion had been fully repaired including the stone wall, gates, and the damage in Jake's suite. Tristan had been asking countless questions about that night and how it fit into the grand scheme of things. Jake told him of how Julian had informed him of the traitors, and so Jake set up a trap and then remained near to the compound waiting to see if something happened. When he heard Tristan's call, he had quickly returned to the mansion and entered through the secret passage. Apparently, however, Zalmon had followed him through it. Jake then told Tristan about how Daniel was revered as the greatest of the great vampires. Many suspected he was still alive, but no one knew for sure other than Jake and Tristan. Jake told of how Daniel had been created so long ago as the first fledgling of one member of the First Generation—the vampires sired directly by the Source. He was the first vampire created rather than born. After him, no more vampires were ever born, they were only created. Daniel lived on as the vampires of the First Generation and his own generation were killed or they chose to die. Around three hundred years ago, Daniel had vanished under uncertain circumstances. Some argued that he had finally chosen to end his life on Earth, while others argued that he had merely gone into hiding. No one was sure.
Jake smiled as Julian walked over to him. He looked clean, healthy, and happy. Jake had ensured that he be given a full pardon by the council for his help in Zalmon's demise. He would be one of the watchers that would remain with Jake at his mansion after the festivities. Jake was sorry to see the vampires and watchers he had come to know as his family leave. However, the war was over so everyone was going back to their lives. Shane would be staying as he was still a fairly young fledgling of Jake's and of course Tristan would stay. Alicia promised she would return to the area after she did some traveling with Josh. They had become rather close rather quickly. Julian, Dante, Chris, Amy, Jess and Jane would be the watchers that would remain at the Valdemar estate. Julian told him how happy he was that he would be staying before he moved on to talk to other guests.
Brad walked up to Jake and put his arm around his shoulder, "Can you believe it, old chap?"
"Believe what?" Jake asked, smiling.
"The war is over at last!" Brad exclaimed. "We can rest in peace now."
Jake squeezed his friend's shoulder, "it is a weird feeling to know that I don't have to go fight anymore. It's a good feeling though. It's been a long time coming. We have a lot of rebuilding to do though"
They chatted about Brad's plans to return to England to his estate there. They were interrupted by Teresa and Nathaniel calling for silence.
"Family," Nathaniel said, "we have gathered here in Count Valto's beautiful home to celebrate a great victory—the victory over Zalmon "
Tristan came up beside Jake and Jake wrapped his free arm around him. He smiled at his good friend and his new lover. Nathaniel continued speaking, "... and our kind has faced many problems in the past century, but we have prevailed over our enemy and preserved our future."
Teresa picked it up from there, "we want to thank every one here, and every one who couldn't be here that has helped in our efforts. We want to extend special thanks first to the watcher Julian for the information he provided us that led to Zalmon's demise."
Applause echoed around the room before Teresa continued, "next, we must extend the deepest and most sincere thanks to Count Valto, our beloved Jake. The council has decided unanimously to give Jake the highest recognition for bravery. We hereby bestow on Count Jaakko Valto the title of Protector."
Everyone burst into loud applause as Jake blushed and went to where Teresa and Nathaniel stood. They handed him a bejeweled sword that rivaled his family's sword in extravagance. Tristan looked at Brad for an explanation.
Brad smiled, "Protector is the highest honor for a vampire. Very few have the title. Teresa, Nathaniel and Mathias are the only ones still alive that hold the title. Well, unless you count Daniel, but no one is really sure if he's alive. Jake's sire Marek had the title as well, but he was destroyed a couple centuries ago."
Tristan nodded. Jake had told him about Marek's demise and how devastated he had been. Jake turned now to address the assembled crowd so everyone quieted. "Thank you all for this honor and thank you for joining me here in my home to celebrate this great achievement. It was as much all of you that brought down Zalmon as it was me. It was our unity that was our strength."
Everyone applauded before Jake continued, "I want to extend special gratitude to those who have served with me." He looked at each of them. "Without you, I would have been lost long ago. I'm going to miss you all. And let us all remember those who lost their lives in the fight for our survival and the preservation of our freedom."
Again, applause echoed across the room. Jake smiled and lifted a glass, "I propose a toast to all of you. May we remain united and strong."
Everyone lifted their glasses and toasted, Jake took a sip and then continued. "Now, this is a celebration, so let's celebrate."
He walked to where Tristan was and embraced him as everyone resumed the party. Music played as people danced in the hall. Jake kissed Tristan and led him to the floor where they began to dance.
"So," Tristan said. "What is immortality like?"
Jake laughed softly, "it can be lonely, but now that I have you, I think I won't mind it so much."
Tristan blushed slightly but smiled. He was glad he had Jake. "I love you."
"I love you too," Jake said.